Bicester Motion unveils indoor e-karting centre plans with TeamSport

Bicester Motion, Oxfordshire’s 444-acre future mobility estate, has partnered with TeamSport to introduce a new indoor electric go-karting centre on site.

The proposed two-level track will be built inside Bicester Motion’s Hangar 137, a 31,000 sq ft Grade 2 listed building.

Bicester Motion is set to invest £4 million in restoring and conserving the historic hangar’s external building fabric, while TeamSport will put a further £2 million towards a 500-metre e-karting track and centre.

A planning application has been submitted to Cherwell District Council for the proposed change of use in order to facilitate repair and conservation of the hangar in the long term.

Based in Surrey, TeamSport has forty e-karting centres across London and the UK which are open to anyone from the age of eight.

The proposed centre will be situated adjacent to Bicester Motion’s new project, a £60 million investment in future mobility discovery which will see the construction of seven new HQ units totalling 215,000 sq ft.

The first three buildings have been pre-let to Mercedes Benz-owned electric drive maker YASA for its new UK HQ.

Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive of Bicester Motion, said: “We warmly welcome TeamSport to Bicester Motion and our community.

“Being in the heart of Motorsport Valley and home to Motorsport UK’s HQ, the synergies are clear.

“Our estate is uniquely placed to offer this new experience for future young talent in Bicester and Oxfordshire and for the local community to enjoy and enable us to invest in sensitively restoring our much-loved hangar and secure its health for its second century.”

Dominic Gaynor, CEO of TeamSport, said: “Our future talent starts on the go-kart track, and for some time we’ve been looking to open in Motorsport Valley surrounded by the many F1 teams.

“Finding the right place and location were key and our new home at Bicester Motion is the perfect match.

“We’ll be providing an innovative and exhilarating new two-level track for everyone to enjoy and creating jobs in both the construction and operational phases.

“We look forward to progressing the planning application and starting work to deliver our latest adrenaline-filled indoor go-karting experience.”

Hugh Chambers, CEO of Motorsport UK, added: “TeamSport is a valued partner of Motorsport UK, delivering the British Indoor Karting Championships – the largest motorsport championship in the world – and the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive programme.

“With more than 5,500 annual participants in the BIKC, TeamSport provides an affordable route into the sport through their racing leagues, while Discover Your Drive has played a groundbreaking role in growing female participation in karting for 8- to 12-year-old girls.

“We look forward to having them as our neighbours and opening the sport to the Bicester and Oxfordshire and wider community.”

Richard Morris represented TeamSport in the deal.