What is The Road to Mastery?
Perhaps a better question might be, Why is The Road to Mastery?
The first thing to say is that The Road to Mastery is the result of many conversations, spanning countless hours between Neil Furber and Rob Colbourn during the global pandemic of 2020. The UK driver training industry simply shut down overnight and we all had more time on our hands than we knew what to do with. Rather than just sit in the garden or watch limitless internet-streamed television, Rob and Neil started discussing at some length everything from our mutual passion for the art of driving to what will happen as truly driving a vehicle goes the same way as the horse and cart. What became clear, was that with the combination of outrageous performance provided by modern super (and now hyper!) cars and the ever more stringent ongoing legal restrictions, both a safe environment to use these cars properly and some expert guidance whilst doing so was going to become an ever-greater need in a tightening, yet more dedicated niche. Just like those who own, ride and compete on horses, those who love driving are finding that cars – as we currently know them – appear to be going the same way as the horse and cart did some hundred or so years ago. And so, the reality is, fans of driving – in its purest sense – are bound to chase the activity more as a calling than a simple hobby or something done for a bit of fun. Further still, there is a risk that unfiltered, no-driver-aids driving could become a lost art, so its preservation and a handing down through generations is of real concern.
If you want a short and punchy ‘elevator pitch’ version, then let’s just say that we will be your guides along your own road to driving mastery, which will mean different things to different people – and be experienced in different ways – but we’re all about the eternal chase for perfection in the art of driving. Our focus is very much more on the driving – in its purest sense – than any particular car, era or level of performance. A true artist will find ways to achieve the outcome no matter the tools!
How Did We Get Here?
Neil and Rob have incredibly different backgrounds and unique stories of how they came to be in the driver coaching business. Indeed, they have contrasting, yet complementary focal points to their wide-ranging expertise and quite different characters. Above all, one thing is clear; they both have an obsessive love of driving.
Both their differences and the robust overlap in professional knowhow will be of particular interest to you as their, collectively, more than half-century’s commitment to the craft is perfectly complementary and greater than the sum of its parts. You simply can’t find this level of knowledge, passion, experience and perspective as they relate to driving cars anywhere else!
As eternal students of the art of driving, they’ve spent more time doing it, teaching it, practising it, discussing it and then questioning almost everything they think they know about it than you’ve probably spent sleeping or eating. And they’ll tell you that they’re still learning.
How Does All This Relate to You?
In some circles there is discussion around the difference between an ‘instructor’ and a ‘coach’. Many will say the first tells you how to do it and the second asks you questions to help you do it by yourself. When it comes to driving – and performance driving in particular – efficient coaching is a blend of both. As they say, there’s no point sitting upside down in a field beyond the first corner asking, ‘so what could you have done differently?!’
Fundamentally, something as complex as driving a motor vehicle requires some basic knowledge, which you will not have before starting, (the what), and an amount of time in the trial-and-error phase to make mistakes and learn muscle memory for how to become competent (the how). This is driving as a skill. Continued rapid progress requires the ongoing transferal of knowledge and dynamic assistance whilst learning by doing.
If you’ve read this far, there’s a good chance that you are interested in driving as an art. This is where we start to become interested in ways to improve how we do things (the when, where and how much) as well as whether or not what was learned previously is even required (the why).
True mastery in any discipline is as much about having complete fluency with all of the tools at your disposal as it is an eloquence in using any mix of them to achieve an outcome. Identifying all the options, learning how they work and becoming competent represents the start and the middle. The limitless end is as much truly understanding the nuance presented in the form of context as it is a flawless flexibility to blend or switch between the various ‘tools’ making up the craft. To master driving, then, is as much about creative and critical thinking as it is about physical actions or movements. Perhaps this is why it’s such a rewarding endeavour?
If this speaks to you, you’re definitely in the right place. If it sounds a little deep and unclear, get in touch and we’ll help you see more in the discipline.
The Road to Mastery is your avenue towards the ongoing pursuit of knowledge, new skills and satisfaction as these pertain to driving. You can join us in our chase for ongoing excellence or that illusive perfection. Much like looking to the horizon, this road has no end; only where you are starting from and a current direction.
So What Now?
Whether you are looking to take advantage of our more comprehensive packages or simply interested in periodic refresh-and-progress sessions over the course of your driving life, we’d be delighted to welcome you to The Road to Mastery. You will meet like-minded souls, learn things you were not expecting and find new depth in all aspects of how man (as a species) interacts with driving machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’re sure to be wondering how much things cost, where we carry out driver development events and whether or not you can bring a partner or guest. Perhaps you’re interested to know more regarding food, accommodation and the cars or people you’re likely to see.
Click on the button for answers to these questions and a few more.
Our Driver Development Packages
Gold Class
For those who want the very best and on a regular basis, our Gold packages include maximum flexibility to book yourself on to our core events with priority booking for our sought-after multi-day Drivers’ Club events.
With fine dining and the best hotels, you’ll have all the bells and whistles and the option to cancel the odd event at short notice should something urgent come up. We even throw in a few exclusive extras to boot!
Silver Class
Our most popular Driver Development Packages by some margin, Silver will give you access to our intensive packages as well as some Drivers’ Club events reserved exclusively for Silver and Gold customers.
Good food and comfortable accommodation punctuate and bookend each day on road, track or proving ground. Silver events sometimes include some surprise vehicles. Go on, treat yourself, both you and your car deserve it!
Bronze Class
Whilst Bronze and Bronze Plus packages are our entry-level range they include at least two of our class-leading events across a year. Providing the option to include some accommodation or not, you can choose whether you direct funds towards hotels and luxuries or channel everything into your personal development.
Bronze customers make up a large proportion of our most dedicated students.