Max vs 100 : Disney+ & ESPN streaming event

On September 16, 2026, 101 karts will line up simultaneously on a circuit at Silverstone for what promises to be one of the most unusual live motorsport events ever broadcast. The concept is simple on paper : Max Verstappen, four-time Formula 1 World Champion, starts at the back of the grid and attempts to overtake every single one of his 100 opponents. No team orders. No safety margins. Just raw karting instincts against a field stacked with athletes, streamers, content creators and surprise guests from across the globe.

We track streaming availability daily, so when Disney+ and ESPN confirmed "Max vs 100" as a live global broadcast, it immediately caught our attention. This is not a pre-recorded documentary. It is a live race event, and the platform strategy behind it says a lot about where sports streaming is heading right now.

A motorsport event built for the streaming generation

Karting is where Verstappen's story began, long before the Formula 1 podiums and the championship records. He was clear about it himself in a statement : "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." That personal connection gives the event a backstory that pure spectacle alone cannot manufacture.

The format deliberately recreates the conditions of Verstappen's early career races : start last, fight forward. But with 100 competitors, the sheer chaos of the field makes the outcome genuinely unpredictable. The 100 drivers include :

• Red Bull athletes from diverse disciplines : ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, basketball shooting specialist Chris "Lethal Shooter" Matthews, and freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones
• Red Bull streamers TheGrefg, Caedrel and TheDonato
• Content creators, media personalities and fans selected from around the world

The Silverstone circuit itself was purpose-built for the occasion by race director David Terrien, a French racing driver and youth karting world champion, specifically to accommodate 101 karts racing at the same time. That kind of logistical effort signals this is not a casual side project for Disney+.

British comedian Mo Gilligan, a triple BAFTA winner, leads the live broadcast alongside a wider presenting team delivering expert commentary. Production is handled by Whisper, an award-winning global sports production company, with game-inspired graphics, cinematic drone footage and live race data integrated directly into the feed. Verstappen will also communicate with competitors during the race, giving viewers unfiltered insight into real-time racing strategy.

Disney+ vs ESPN Unlimited : where and how to watch "Max vs 100"

Availability depends on where you are. The live broadcast on September 16, 2026 is included in existing Disney+ subscriptions globally through ESPN on Disney+, meaning no extra cost for current subscribers. For U.S. viewers specifically, ESPN Unlimited subscribers can also access it through the ESPN App. A delayed broadcast will air on ESPN2 the same day.

Since we regularly monitor what's available on which platform and at what tier, here is a clear breakdown of the viewing options for this event :

This distribution approach reflects Disney's broader push to position Disney+ as a genuine live sports destination. ESPN has already brought original sports storytelling to Disney+, and "Max vs 100" takes that relationship further into live event territory. Sean Doyle, VP Unscripted at Disney+ EMEA, was direct about the ambition : "It's another exciting step as we continue to expand our live and sports entertainment offering on Disney+."

What this live karting race tells us about the future of sports streaming

One-off live spectacles are increasingly becoming the way platforms fight for eyeballs. Netflix did it with boxing. Amazon experimented with NFL exclusives. Disney is now betting on hybrid entertainment events that blur the line between sport and content. "Max vs 100" is produced by Red Bull Media House and commissioned jointly by Angela Jain, Head of Content at Disney+ EMEA, and Sean Doyle. The creative DNA is partly Red Bull, which has been producing high-quality extreme sports content for over a decade.

From a pure streaming perspective, the key advantage here is that no additional subscription is required for Disney+ users worldwide. That removes friction entirely. You already have the platform, the event is simply there on September 16. For ESPN Unlimited subscribers in the U.S., the live option through the ESPN App is equally seamless.

What makes this format interesting beyond the celebrity factor is the genuine uncertainty of the result. Verstappen is competing against 100 people who all have something to prove. Some will drive defensively, others will attempt aggressive blocks. The logistics of 101 karts on a single circuit, all racing live simultaneously, create a density of action that a standard F1 broadcast rarely provides. Whether you care about motorsport or not, the spectacle of one driver against an entire field is a format worth watching at least once, especially when it streams directly through a subscription you likely already hold.