Well before becoming a Formula 1 World Champion, Max Verstappen got his start in karting—and he’s returning to these roots in a special program coming to Disney+ next month called Max vs 100. The event will see Verstappen starting at the back of a 101-kart grid, with the goal of overtaking every other driver on the track.
The race will take place at the historic Silverstone Circuit, with a modified track layout to accommodate 101 karts racing simultaneously. This feat has never been done before, with Disney touting the event as “a new racing format that blends elite competition with entertainment and innovation.”
PHOTO BY Toyota South Africa and Raymond Cornwell Motorsport Fanatix
Verstappen’s rivals will come from a wide range of backgrounds including Red Bull athletes, content creators, media personalities, lucky fans, and other surprise guests. Disney+ vice president Sean Doyle commented on the upcoming race: “Taking one of the greatest racing drivers in the world and asking him to overtake 100 drivers is the kind of challenge you can't help but want to see play out. Working with Red Bull, we've created a live event that's ambitious, entertaining and genuinely unpredictable.”
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Another twist for the race: Verstappen will have an open line of communication with the other drivers on the track. Generally speaking, official racing formats don’t provide direct communication across competing teams, much less for on-track drivers. Though this feature is described as providing viewers further insight into how the race unfolds, fans are definitely expecting exploitable soundbites from the radio chatter.
Watch: Teaser for ‘Max vs 100’ on Disney+Verstappen has expressed excitement at his upcoming challenge: “In go-karts you learn all the basics: starts, defending, overtaking. Of course, I spent a long period of my life go-karting, so it’s always nice to return. It’s about understanding the grip of the go-kart. I’ve done so many years in go-karting that you quite naturally get back into things.”
The race will be livestreamed on Disney+ on September 16 for the platform’s subscribers. Excited?