Inside the Chaos of ‘Max vs 100’ Following Its September 17 Disney+ Premiere

Widely regarded as one of the elite titans of modern motorsport, four-time Formula 1® World Champion Max Verstappen recently put his legendary skills to the ultimate test in an unprecedented racing experiment. Broadcasted live to audiences across the country via Disney+ Philippines, the high-concept special “Max vs 100” placed the Red Bull driver at the absolute back of a massive 101-kart grid. Tasked with the seemingly impossible challenge of carving his way through 100 unique competitors, the event delivered a thrilling blend of high-stakes racing and pure entertainment.

In a massive treat for local motorsport enthusiasts, Disney+ Philippines recently broadcasted the highly anticipated “Max vs 100” special. The first-of-its-kind racing spectacle, created in close collaboration with Red Bull, streamed live locally at midnight on September 17, 2026. The novel concept pushed four-time Formula 1® World Champion and Red Bull athlete Max Verstappen to his absolute limits, forcing him to start at the back of the grid and attempt to hunt down and overtake an astonishing field of 100 rival drivers.

Hosted at the legendary Silverstone circuit, the closed-door event featured a massive 101-kart grid, making it one of the largest go-kart spectacles in motorsport history. The innovative format blended top-tier competition with pure entertainment, pitting a diverse, global lineup of Red Bull athletes, gaming icons, content creators, streamers, and surprise media personalities against each other. Their singular goal was to defend their head start and hold off a charging Max Verstappen, delivering a fresh and chaotic spin on traditional racing.

To complement the frantic track action, triple BAFTA winner Mo Gilligan steered the live coverage with his trademark comedic flair and vibrant hosting style. Working alongside a broader broadcasting crew, Gilligan and a panel of racing analysts ensured the unprecedented event maintained a perfect balance of elite sporting commentary and prime-time entertainment value.

This massive grid served as a chaotic recreation of the very racing philosophy that shaped Verstappen’s early career—forcing him to start from the absolute back and slice through the pack. Yet, with an unprecedented number of rivals blocking the track this time around, a successful comeback was far from guaranteed, adding immense tension to the champion’s quest. 

To make the experiment as unpredictable as possible, Verstappen’s 100 opponents were pulled from every corner of modern pop culture and athletics. The unique roster saw prominent Red Bull athletes like ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, shooting phenom Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, and mountain biker Matt Jones rub shoulders with popular gaming creators and streamers, including TheGrefg, Caedrel, and TheDonato. 

Rounded out by everyday fans invited from across the globe, the entire grid set out to test a classic motorsport theory: whether a massive head start and overwhelming numbers could allow ordinary enthusiasts to hold off the world’s most dominant racing driver.

Stripping away the high-tech complexity of modern F1 machinery, the challenge brought Verstappen back to where his career was born. Karting was the definitive training ground where the Dutch phenom first developed his razor-sharp instincts and masterful racecraft—the very same tools he relies on today at the pinnacle of motorsport.

“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.” – Max Verstappen

“The moment we heard the idea for ‘Max vs 100’, we knew it was something really special. 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. 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.” – Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+ EMEA

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be teaming up with Disney on this hugely ambitious project. 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.” – Mo Gilligan

For the first time in motorsport history, 101 karts will share the track together. The historic feat is made possible by a custom-built Silverstone circuit engineered by Race Director David Terrien, a celebrated kart designer and former youth world champion.

Reimagining traditional motorsport coverage, the event promises to immerse fans through cinematic drone footage and gaming-style graphics. The broadcast is spearheaded by Whisper—the award-winning production company renowned for high-stakes sports storytelling—and will feature integrated live data and telemetry to keep viewers anchored to every development. 

Adding to the spectacle, Max Verstappen will have a direct radio link to talk to his fellow drivers during the race, giving audiences an unprecedented look into real-time track dynamics.

Commissioned by Disney+ EMEA content leaders Angela Jain and Sean Doyle, the Red Bull Media House production features a robust team of executive producers. Leading the broadcast operations are Antonia Howard-Taylor (Disney+), Simon Corney (Whisper), and Red Bull’s Ignacio Leon and Kutlu Baklacioglu.