Video: Catcher Car training for Wings for Life World Run with Max and Carlos

Published on 12 April 2016 by Niels Hendrix

If Max Verstappen or Carlos Sainz told you to run faster, you would, right? Well, that’s exactly what they’ll do on May 8, 2016. They join 32 Catcher Car drivers as the motivation for tens of thousands of Wings for Life World Runners in 34 international locations to run as far and as fast as they can, chased by the Catcher Cars.

Like Verstappen, Sainz and David Coulthard, the Catcher Car drivers worldwide have spent decades in high-speed, high-focus disciplines to prepare themselves for this moment. With endurance, precision and absolute dexterity learnt at high speed, they will slow right down to maintain a synchronised crawling speed to chase thousands of runners worldwide.

Usually there’s little stopping Dutchman Max Verstappen - he was Formula One’s youngest-ever driver at age 17, last year, when he swept up a record three FIA awards including Rookie of the Year. But on May 8, he’ll have to restrain himself to a sedate 15kmph (9mph) as the driver of the Netherlands’ Catcher Car.

“I usually go about 325kmph”, laughs the Toro Rosso driver who’ll drive in the Netherlands, “but this time, I’ll be going for distance, not speed. I want to be the last Catcher Car driver out there – I want to be the one to catch the global champion!”

Verstappen’s Toro Rosso teammate, Carlos Sainz, has a different objective: “I’ll be driving the Catcher Car at home in Spain. I don’t know what Max is thinking - of course the global champion will be crowned here. I’ve got the endurance to keep going as long as necessary”, smiles the 21-year-old, knowing that two-time winner, Lemawork Ketema, ran for over five hours in 2014 and 2015.

“Seriously, we’re all so impressed by what these runners are doing: all running at the same time worldwide to raise funds and awareness for spinal cord research. Whether they’re absolute beginners or hard-core ultrarunners, they’re making a difference, and, believe me, I’m going to be cheering them hard as I drive by.”

Make your date with a Catcher Car: Sign up to run and keep up with the latest at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.

In the video below you can watch the special Catcher Car training of Max and Carlos!