Karting track inside Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium will be a world first

Here’s an odd (albeit quite cool) one: F1 and Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a 15-year partnership which will result in the world’s first in-stadium karting track being constructed beneath the ground’s South Stand.

Actually it’s two circuits: one for adults and another for juniors, with F1 and Spurs promising the venue will be the longest indoor karting track in the capital when it opens in the autumn.

And it’ll be no Centre Parcs gimmick either: both electric karting circuits will be accredited by the National Karting Association, meaning they should be a) super fun, and b) potential future hosts of real national karting championship races.

Tottenham is hoping that the facility can be a launchpad for more than just 11th birthday parties and team bonding days, too: it’ll put on ‘driver educational activities’ to show local youngsters the career opportunities in engineering and software development, and is hoping that future apprenticeship will provide new ways into motorsport in particular for women and underrepresented groups.

“As we continue to grow our sport, partnering with world renowned brands like Tottenham Hotspur allows us to take Formula 1 and motorsport to new and more diverse audiences,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali. “The karting experience will be a place that families, friends, and aspiring drivers from all over the world will want to visit and enjoy, engaging new audiences and offering an accessible entry point to the world of motorsport.

“Our two brands have a shared vision to create life-changing career opportunities, promote diversity and inclusion, such as through the recently announced F1 Academy, and driving environmental sustainability – our innovative partnership will bring all of this to life.”

Meanwhile Spurs chairman Daniel Levy added: “Since building this stadium our ambition has always been to see how far we can push the boundaries in delivering world-class experiences that will attract people from around the world all year round.

“We have been able to bring the biggest names in sport and entertainment to London N17. We are extremely excited about what this long-term partnership with F1 will bring for our global, national, and local communities.”

And David Richards, chairman of Motorsport UK, had this to say: “I congratulate Tottenham Hotspur and Formula 1 on this innovative partnership. This new karting facility aligns perfectly with Motorsport UK’s mission to inspire and enable more people to participate in our sport in a safe, fair, fun, inclusive and progressive environment.

“I look forward to seeing even more people enjoy karting but particularly to see a greater level of diversity amongst the visitors.”

Tickets will go on sale ahead of the grand opening later this year.