(Motorsport) Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and Formula 1 have signed a 15 year strategic agreement for the grassroot development of the next generation of motorsport talent. As per the deal, London’s longest indoor track and the world’s first in-stadium electric karting facility will be made at the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur stadium, which will be the only one of its kind in Europe. The facility will open later this year and will have separate tracks for adults and juniors, with both accredited by the National Karting Association, which means it could be a potential future venue for national karting championship races. 

The partnership will mean that Formula 1 and Tottenham Hotspur will develop a new driver academy programme, which will help develop the motorsport pool and help identify the next generation of Formula 1 drivers. In order to engage local young people, Formula 1 and Tottenham Hotspur will deliver educational activities and also showcase opportunities in engineering and software development. A key focus of the partnership will also create apprenticeships and career opportunities for young people and help bring diversity to the motorsport industry. 

Formula 1 will also collaborate with Tottenham on sustainability initiatives that will promote environmental responsibility. Their commitment to Net Zero Carbon by 2030 aligns with Spurs’ targets to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and become net zero by 2040 as per the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework’s ‘Race to Zero. 

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1, said: “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. The karting experience will be a destination and 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.”

Tottenham 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.”

David Richards CBE, Chairman of Motorsport UK, the governing body for four-wheel motorsport in the UK, said: “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.”

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