What happens when one of the fastest drivers in the world is placed behind 100 competitors and told to catch them all?
Disney+ is about to find out.
The streaming platform has announced “Max vs 100,” a one-of-a-kind live motorsport event created with Red Bull, featuring four-time Formula 1® World Champion Max Verstappen in a massive karting challenge at Silverstone.
Streaming live on Disney+ Philippines at 12:00 AM on September 17, the event will put Verstappen at the back of a 101-kart grid with a simple but formidable mission: overtake every driver ahead of him.
Max Verstappen Takes on a Massive Karting Grid
Set at Silverstone, one of motorsport’s most famous circuits, “Max vs 100” brings together 101 karts for one of the biggest kart races of its kind.
Verstappen will have to work his way through a field filled with athletes, streamers, gaming personalities, social media creators, media figures, fans, and surprise guests from around the world.
Rather than following a traditional racing format, the event blends elite motorsport with entertainment and technology, creating a challenge where the advantage is firmly with the pack.
The question at the heart of it all is simple: Can 100 drivers stop Max Verstappen?
A Return to Where It All Started
For Verstappen, the race also marks a return to the discipline that helped shape his career.
Before Formula 1® titles, record-breaking performances, and international fame, Verstappen spent years honing his skills in karting. It was there that he learned the fundamentals of racing, from race starts and defensive driving to overtaking and managing grip.
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. 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 setup of “Max vs 100” also mirrors a challenge familiar from his early racing days: starting from behind and fighting through the field.
This time, however, the scale is dramatically bigger.
Who Will Race Against Max Verstappen?
The 100 drivers standing between Verstappen and the front of the grid will come from different areas of sports, gaming, entertainment, and online culture.
Among the Red Bull athletes joining the race are ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, basketball shooting specialist Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, and freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones.
Also joining the grid are Red Bull streamers TheGrefg, Caedrel, and TheDonato, along with content creators, personalities, and fans invited from different parts of the world.
With such a varied field, the race promises plenty of unpredictable moments as competitors attempt to stay ahead of one of motorsport’s most accomplished drivers.
Mo Gilligan Leads the Live Coverage
Triple BAFTA-winning British comedian Mo Gilligan will front the live broadcast as part of a wider presenting team.
Gilligan will bring his trademark humor and energy to the event while the broadcast team delivers race commentary, analysis, and updates throughout the challenge.
I’m absolutely thrilled to be teaming up with Disney on this hugely ambitious project. Gilligan said.
Max Verstappen, 100 drivers and one massive race – this show is going to be truly spectacular. It’s fast, unpredictable and, above all, a lot of fun. Somehow, I’ve got the best seat in the house, and I can’t wait to take everyone watching on Disney+ along for the ride.
Silverstone Gets a Special Karting Setup
To accommodate the unusually large field, the circuit has been specially designed for the event by David Terrien, the race director, French racing driver, renowned kart designer, and youth karting world champion.
The layout has been built to allow all 101 karts to compete at the same time, creating a racing environment specifically suited to the ambitious concept.
Beyond the action on track, “Max vs 100” will also experiment with how viewers experience motorsport at home.
The broadcast will feature game-inspired graphics, cinematic drone footage, live race data, and on-screen insightsdesigned to help audiences follow Verstappen’s progress through the field.
Adding another layer of unpredictability, Verstappen will also be able to communicate directly with his competitors during the race.
That feature could give viewers a rare look at the conversations, reactions, and split-second decisions taking place while the competition unfolds.
Disney+ Expands Its Live Sports Entertainment Offering
Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+ EMEA, said the idea immediately stood out because of its unusual premise.
The moment we heard the idea for ‘Max vs 100’, we knew it was something really special, Doyle said.
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.
He added that the collaboration with Red Bull reflects Disney+’s continuing push into live and sports entertainment.
Working with Red Bull, we’ve created a live event that’s ambitious, entertaining and genuinely unpredictable. It’s another exciting step as we continue to expand our live and sports entertainment offering on Disney+, and we can’t wait to bring the excitement of live motorsport to a new generation of fans.”
When to Watch “Max vs 100”
“Max vs 100” streams live on Disney+ Philippines at 12:00 AM on September 17.
The event is a Red Bull Media House production commissioned by Angela Jain, Head of Content, Disney+ EMEA, and Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+ EMEA.
Executive producers include Antonia Howard-Taylor for Disney+ EMEA, Ignacio Leon for Red Bull, Kutlu Baklacioglu, Red Bull Head of Motorsports Network, and Simon Corney, Executive Producer at Whisper.
Produced by Whisper, the award-winning global production company behind major sports and entertainment programming, the live event is set to combine competitive racing with a fresh, playful format.
With Max Verstappen chasing down 100 drivers at Silverstone, “Max vs 100” is shaping up to be one of Disney+’s most ambitious live motorsport spectacles yet.
