Grand prix karting in London
8 tracks in London run grand prix events. The full race weekend in miniature: qualifying to set the grid, heats, then a final with a podium at the end.
The 8 tracks
K1 Speed Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf, London
K1 Speed Canary Wharf is the UK site of an international chain with more than a hundred locations, and it is one hundred per cent electric. The karts are indoor and battery powered, which puts it in a small group alongside Revolution Karting on the other side of the city.
Revolution Karting
Mile End, London
Revolution Karting sits in the arches on Burdett Road at Mile End, and is London's most central outdoor kart track. Genuine tarmac, 450 metres, open all year in all but extreme weather, and running for over twenty years.
Price not published
Surbiton Raceway
Worcester Park, London
Surbiton Raceway at Worcester Park runs three separate outdoor tracks, which is more than almost anywhere else we list, and it means the age bands are properly catered for rather than fudged with restricted karts.
Price not published
TeamSport Go Karting West London Acton
Acton, London
TeamSport Acton is an indoor electric karting venue on Allied Way in west London, a short walk from Acton Central station. The 500-metre track runs over more than one level, and TeamSport says laps here typically come in under 30 seconds.
Price not published
TeamSport Go Karting & Bowling Brent Cross
Brent Cross, London
TeamSport Brent Cross is on level 4 of the Blue car park at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north-west London, and combines indoor electric karting with an eight-lane bowling alley. Rather than one long circuit it has a 200-metre Starter track, a 350-metre Main track, and an Extended layout that links the two into a 550-metre, 18-corner lap.
Price not published
TeamSport Go Karting North London Edmonton
Edmonton, London
TeamSport Edmonton is an indoor karting venue on Nobel Road in north London, near the North Circular. Its 800-metre track is laid out over several levels with nine corners and wide straights that leave room for overtaking.
Price not published
TeamSport Go Karting Mitcham South London
Mitcham, London
TeamSport Mitcham is an indoor electric kart track on Streatham Road in south London, between Tooting and Mitcham. At 800 metres with 21 corners and a full mezzanine level, TeamSport lists it among the longest indoor tracks in the UK.
Price not published
Traq Motor Racing
Croydon, London
Traq Motor Racing is an outdoor motorsport site on Jessops Way in Croydon, south London, with a tarmac kart track alongside off-road tracks for quads, motocross and pit bikes.
Price per minute
Session price divided by minutes on track, calculated the same way everywhere. Group event pricing differs, so treat this as a guide to relative value.
Minimum group sizes
The thing that catches groups out. Below the minimum you either pay for absent drivers or book an open session instead.
What to look for
The format, in laps
Ask how many laps the final is. A 30-lap final is a proper race; a 10-lap one is a sprint with ceremony attached.
Group minimum
Six drivers is typical. Some formats need ten or more to fill a grid properly.
Whether juniors can enter
Some tracks run junior versions of the same format at the same price. Others set race events at 14 or 16 plus.
Trophies and timing
Printed results and a podium are what people remember. Live timing screens make the qualifying session matter.
Questions worth asking
- How many laps is the final, and how long is qualifying?
- What is the minimum number of drivers?
- Is there a junior version, and from what age?
- Do we get printed results and trophies?