Silverstone set to launch new karting track

Yiorgos Meliotis said the circuit at Kart Silverstone was "very fast"

Motorsport fans have been given a first look at a new international karting circuit.

The track, at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, set to officially open in December, hosted an exhibition race with a group of professional karting drivers as part of the recent Silverstone Festival.

The new Kart Silverstone facility has been funded "significant investment" by the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) and is expected to welcome about 160,000 visitors to the circuit every year.

Yiorgos Meliotis, assistant manager of the new karting track, said: "We're very happy to finally have karts going around the circuit. It's been a long time coming."

Mr Meliotis said the "very fast track" will be accessible to professional karters and the wider public for bookings - and would provide a physical challenge for drivers.

Kart Silverstone is located outside the Silverstone Museum, where the former Bridge corner of the Silverstone Circuit was located.

Kart Silverstone is positioned next to the main Silverstone Circuit, used for events including F1 and Moto GP

Many of the world's biggest names in F1 began their racing careers as karting champions, including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Jensen Button.

The 1,377m (0.85 mile) track is licensed to host FIA events and will be able to run international race meetings.

Silverstone said the track has six different configurations to cater for a range of ages and racing abilities.

Former racing drivers turned broadcasters, David Coulthard and Anthony Davidson, were part of the design process that began in 2022.

Tickets are available to book in readiness for its official opening in December

Stuart Pringle, chief executive of Silverstone, said: "This commitment by our owners, the BRDC, marks a significant milestone in Silverstone's transformation into a world-class, year-round motorsport and leisure destination."