Verstappen passes 100 amateur karters in 14 laps in exhibition race — SkimNews
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- Max Verstappen needed 14 laps and 35 minutes to overtake 100 amateur drivers in an exhibition go-kart race on an adapted track at Silverstone in Northamptonshire.
- The four-time Formula 1 champion had a maximum of 35 laps and 75 minutes to complete the challenge and finished with 40 minutes and 21 laps to spare after passing the final holdout.
- A chaotic first lap saw Verstappen climb to 37th as many amateur drivers crashed or span out, prompting race officials to briefly suspend the event.
- Verstappen warned participants over team radio that 'it's not a charity event' and moved from 37th to 10th by lap six and into fourth by lap 10, with each driver he overtook forced to retire.
- The field of holdouts shrank to just three — Dutch F1 journalist Jacky Martens (who started on pole), Red Bull engine builder Lewis Osler, and YouTuber Zac Alsop — all of whom were granted a special 'fast lap' allowing them to cut a corner.
- Martens was the last driver passed despite using his fast-lap advantage, while Verstappen, a former karting junior and four-time consecutive F1 champion from 2021 to 2024, treated the event as a lighthearted return to his roots.
- The participant field consisted entirely of TV, sport and social media personalities with no professional racing drivers involved.
Why it matters: The stunt showcased the yawning gap between an elite F1 driver and amateurs, with Verstappen dispatching 100 non-professionals in barely a third of his allotted time. For Red Bull, it's a PR-friendly reminder that their star remains marketable and competitive even outside the F1 calendar, while participants gained a once-in-a-lifetime scalp to brag about — at least until lap six.
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