Photo: Formula 1
Formula 1 has signed a 15-year strategic partnership with Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur to help identify and foster a new generation of motor sport talent.
The partnership provides the creation of the first in-stadium electric karting facility and London’s longest indoor track, based below the stadium’s South Stand. The in-stadium facility, which will open later this year, will consist of separate tracks for adults and juniors, both accredited by the National Karting Association, making it a potential future venue for national karting championship races.
In addiction Formula 1 and Tottenham Hotspur will develop a new driver academy program with the purpose to discover new motorsport talent and identify the next generation of F1 drivers.
Together they will also organize educational activities for schools to spread the passion for motorsports to local young people and showcase career opportunities in areas such as engineering and software development. Also showing commitment in trying also to bring greater diversity to the motorsport industry, particularly for women and underrepresented groups.
As part of the partnership, F1 will also collaborate with Tottenham Hotspur on sustainability initiatives that promote environmental responsibility.
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 Hotspur 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.”
