Guides

Go-karting guides

Everything we've written, grouped by where you are: a first session, a day out, going racing, or buying kit.

Your first session

What happens at a go-karting session
A first hire-karting session from booking to podium - signing in, kit, the safety briefing, time on track, timing sheets and what to wear.
How much does go-karting cost in the UK?
What UK hire karting costs in our price-from data: the range, the median, and how prices differ by region and between indoor and outdoor tracks.
Age and height limits at UK karting tracks
How minimum ages, heights and weights vary across UK hire karting tracks, and what junior and cadet sessions usually mean.
Arrive-and-drive vs Grand Prix: karting session formats explained
The main hire-karting formats - arrive and drive, Grand Prix, endurance, junior sessions and leagues - what each suits and how to tell which you are booking.
Driving tips for hire karting
Practical tips for hire-kart sessions - racing line, braking, smooth inputs, overtaking manners and what the flags mean.
Karting in the wet: rain, grip and what to wear
Does outdoor karting run in the rain? What changes on a wet track, how to drive it, keeping your visor clear, and indoor tracks as the dry option.
Indoor karting
Every indoor track we list, with prices and regions.
Outdoor karting
Every outdoor track we list, with prices and regions.

Go-karting for kids
Which tracks take children, from what age and height, by region.
Birthday and party go-karting in the UK
UK karting tracks that list birthday or kids' party bookings. We group them by region and link to each track page.
Go-karting gift vouchers in the UK
UK karting tracks that list gift vouchers by region, and what to check before you buy one.

Karting clubs and championships in the UK
How to move from hire karting to racing in the UK - hire-kart leagues, owner-driver clubs, the Motorsport UK licence and the ARKS test.
Owner-driver kart classes in the UK
The main UK owner-driver kart classes (Bambino, Cadet, Rotax, IAME X30 and Honda), the ages each covers, and how Club100 arrive-and-drive differs.
Electric go-karting in the UK
How many UK hire karting tracks run electric karts, how that compares with petrol, which operators use them and where indoor and outdoor tracks differ.

How to choose a karting helmet (and what to spend)
Our four karting helmet picks at every budget, plus the standards Motorsport UK accepts, the approval sticker and how a helmet should fit.
Which karting suit should you buy?
Our four karting suit picks at every budget, plus what hire tracks lend you, what club racing asks for and what the label should say.
Karting gloves that actually grip the wheel
Our four karting glove picks at every budget, plus which tracks lend gloves, what the rules ask for and what the FIA standard means.
Karting shoes and boots: ditch the trainers
Our four karting shoe and boot picks at every budget, plus what hire tracks expect on your feet and what the rules say about ankles.
Do you need a karting rib protector?
Motorsport UK doesn't make a karting rib protector compulsory. Find out where FIA 8870-2018 does and see our four picks at every budget.

Prices, age limits and what to expect, checked against each venue.