Max Verstappen will start last in a 101-kart field and have 30 laps to pass every rival at Silverstone on September 16.
Max Verstappen will swap his Formula 1 car for a kart on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, as the four-time world champion races 100 rivals in a one-off event at Silverstone.
Called Max vs 100, the exhibition places Verstappen at the back of a 101-driver grid on a purpose-built karting circuit. The task is simple: overtake every competitor within 30 laps.
How Max vs 100 works
Every competitor gets one qualifying lap, and the 100 challengers will be ordered by their fastest times. Whatever pace Verstappen shows in qualifying, he starts 101st.
Any driver overtaken by Verstappen is eliminated from the classification. To complete the challenge, he must make 100 passes, averaging approximately 3.33 per lap over the full race distance.
“It's going to be quite hectic - trying to race 100 people will be very tough,” Verstappen said. “I haven't driven a lot of go-karting over the last few years, naturally, because of F1 and my GT racing. It's always fun to go back and have a good time.”
Identical karts and the shortcut rule
All 101 competitors will drive identical karts. Any entrant below the minimum weight will carry sealed ballast, reducing equipment and weight advantages throughout the field.
Each challenger may use a shortcut once during the first 15 laps. Verstappen has the same option, although he cannot use it until the second half of the 30-lap race.
Former racing driver and karting world champion David Terrien designed the custom Silverstone layout to handle the unusually large field.
Who Verstappen will race
The field brings together athletes, online creators and racing fans instead of a conventional grid filled with karting specialists. Confirmed entrants include ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, basketball shooting coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews and freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones.
Climber Janja Garnbret, skateboarder Leticia Bufoni, cyclist Sarah Lezito and motorcycle racer Billy Bolt are listed as well. The streamers and creators include Caedrel, TheGrefg, TheDonato, Wirtual and ExtraEmily.
All 100 will start ahead of Verstappen.
Verstappen returns to karting
Verstappen started karting at age four and began competing in championships at age seven. After advancing through the junior formula ranks, he made his Formula 1 debut in 2015 and became the series' youngest race winner on his Red Bull debut in 2016.
He claimed four consecutive Formula 1 drivers' championships from 2021 through 2024.
“In go-karts you learn all the basics: starts, defending, overtaking,” Verstappen said. “Of course, I spent a long period of my life go-karting, so it's always nice to return.”
When asked what he expected from the 101-kart field, Verstappen said: “Just seeing the carnage unfold in front of me.”
Where and when to watch
Live coverage starts at 5 p. m. UK time on September 16, before the race begins at 6 p. m. UK time. In the United States, coverage starts at noon ET and the race follows at 1 p. m. ET.
Disney+ will carry Max vs 100 live worldwide. United States viewers with ESPN Unlimited can watch through the ESPN App, and ESPN2 will show a delayed broadcast later that day.
Comedian Mo Gilligan will lead the presentation. The broadcast will feature live race data, game-inspired graphics and drone footage, and Verstappen will be able to talk directly with competitors during the race.
A one-off event with no previous record
Max vs 100 is a standalone exhibition rather than a Formula 1 or karting championship round. No points are available, and the event has no previous editions or historical results.
The first official passing totals, lap data and classification will be recorded after the 30-lap feature ends at Silverstone on September 16.
