Penelope Alice races to network at TeamSport London Docklands

As Tom Cruise said in Top Gun: “I feel the need. The need for speed.” While I don’t consider myself a daredevil, I do enjoy a thrill now and then. I got my most recent fix with my fellow PAs at TeamSport London Docklands, where we had a karting adventure and a tour of the venue.

TeamSport offers 17 karting tracks around the UK, some of which feature multi-level tracks. The London Docklands location also boasts two fantastic conference spaces, the larger of which can seat up to 100 people theatre style. They’re blank canvas spaces, so they can be set up for any kind of event – even a disco, as we were told on the night. Being what it is, you can combine a business meeting with a session on the track, complete with complimentary transfers to and from the venue from North Greenwich Tube station; what’s not to love?

The course at London Docklands features 800 metres of tarmac track, nine nail-biting corners and karts that reach speeds of up to 40mph. The average lap time is 44 seconds, but I “held back” a bit and ended up with an average lap of around 50 seconds. We all had an amazing time and I don’t know about the other PAs, but I felt like a real racer in the racewear TeamSport provided us.

After the first round of racing we all gathered in the venue’s bar and restaurant for some delicious pizza and drinks – soft drinks, of course, as you’re not allowed to drink alcohol until the karting is finished. The restaurant overlooks one of the sharpest turns of the track, but there’s also a large spectator area if your guests want to smell the petrol and hear the roar of the karts’ engines.

And a real selling point is the ability to race against Top Gear’s original STIG and Formula One royalty Perry McCarthy, who works closely with TeamSport – who could say no to that?

All in all, TeamSport has a lot to offer the corporate world, whether you want to host a team-building day or just want to add a bit of fun to a meeting. While I may have finished third in the “not-so-fast” group, my lovely trophy makes for excellent desk decoration!

Check out all of TeamSport’s venues at team-sport.co.uk.