Watch four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen beat 100 go-karters in what is billed as the world’s largest go-kart race…
In what is touted as the world’s biggest go-kart race, Red Bull Racing Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen went head-to-head with a 100-strong grid of go-karters – the lineup made up of Red Bull athletes, content creators, and more – at Silverstone Circuit.
Comprising 70 laps, Verstappen started at the back of the grid, in 101st position. However, it didn’t take long for the four-time F1 World Champion to overtake the majority of the grid. Indeed, in just two minutes, the 28-year-old was running in 37th position. The Dutch driver was heard over the radio describing the experience as “carnage”.
Verstappen soldiered on, and in just 14 laps (or 35 minutes) he had passed every one of the competitors to claim first place on the podium. For added drama, with 54 minutes of racing left, the Race Director announced an “extra fast lap”, which provided the field access to shortcuts.
“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,” said Verstappen. “After my first lap, with all the carnage, I did think, ‘Okay, we have got this under control!’ It started to become really fun and once I started getting into a rhythm, I was able to overtake them one-by-one and saw the gap closing, that was really exciting.”
Verstappen added, “It was great to just be back in a go-kart again and go back to basics. It reminded me of racing back in the day. It’s a really beautiful track and well-designed, and it was a nice touch to be able to get all the data fed through the radio too. I had a great day and it was good to come out with the win!”
