Surprise: Max Verstappen whupped 100 go-karters in just 14 laps

Well, this is huge news: Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula One world champion widely regarded as the current fastest driver on the grid and one of the best to ever do it, has beaten 100 amateur go-karters in a specially staged race.

We know, right? Unimaginable heroics. In fact, Verstappen – youngest ever F1 point scorer, youngest race winner, first F1 driver to win from 10 different starting slots, and once again, the whole four-consecutive-championships thing – had passed everyone by lap 14.

Lap 14 of just 30. And he started right at the back, in position 101. On a Silverstone layout built specifically by Red Bull for this event.

“When I went to the grid and I saw where I had to start, with 100 karts in front of me, I was a little bit worried," he said. "After my first lap, with all the carnage, I did think 'OK, we have got this under control.' It started to become really fun and once I started getting into a rhythm, was able to overtake them one-by-one and saw the gap closing, that was really exciting.”

To be fair, it’s a nice bit of fun for the Dutchman, who apparently loved just being behind the wheel of a proper go-kart again, his disdain for 2026 machinery well documented. Having something that goes where you want it to – albeit at a tenth of the speed – must be liberating.

So, the race. We’re told that 10 drivers were passed by Max before he even reached the start/finish line, and he made 63 overtakes on the first lap. Total ‘carnage’, apparently, karts crashing and heading every which way but forward. After just two minutes, he was up to 37th.

Oh, important to clarify that the rules of the race meant as soon as Max’s go-kart drew level with the front of a competitors’, that competitor was out.

“I had a great day and it was good to come out with the win,” Max added.