My first visit to Total Car Control I would describe as essential experience to feel the performance and real nature of my new BMW M5, as well as learning fast but safe driving techniques.

My second visit was something different. I really started to feel the car and understand its actions and behaviour. I feel that my driving became much more confident, faster and safer. After this second visit I stopped fighting with the car to drive fast, and instead started to drive fast together with my car.

I highly recommend TCC to everyone who enjoys driving and wants to become better.”

N. Tkachenko

I am still raving about the two days to anyone who asks and was ‘bouncing’ at the end of both days. The first day at Millbrook delivered exactly what I was after. I needed to understand how good (or bad) my A45 AMG is and how it would react when pushed to the limit. Job done. I also came away in the knowledge that the car is far more capable than I am brave!

Second day on the open road was again exactly what I wanted. I knew I was needing instruction, I just hadn’t realised how complacent I had become. The roads used were ideal and I think going through villages a fair bit, coming across different types of traffic etc, actually helped as the potential hazards and road conditions were constantly changing and therefore the brain had to keep working and that worked for me. As far as the day is concerned I really can’t think of anything that would have improved it for me, so full marks.

As a general comment Ivan, this was simply the best driving training I have ever experienced bar none. Would I recommend your courses to others? Already have and will continue to do so. Would I do the two days again? Yes and have already started thinking of a timeline, i.e. 1 or 2 years, need to see how I get on. All the very best until then.

C. Bruce

Thank you for such a fabulous weekend; it was up there with some of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I have been driving for 40 years and thought I knew how to handle any car but, from the first few minutes with you, I realised how little I actually knew! Your teaching style is completely straightforward and I very quickly understood the ‘science’ of braking, steering, positioning and power – putting it into practice took a while but 40 years of bad habits takes some undoing as you saw!

I can now fully enjoy my new M5 and am completely stunned at its capabilities. What a waste it would have been if I hadn’t been on your course – it should be an absolute ‘condition of purchase’ instigated by all manufacturers of high performance vehicles and you can rely on me to ‘spread the gospel’. The public road day was also eye-opening, especially on the B roads of Cambridgeshire. You should know that my wife felt quite relaxed on our journey home and I was actually driving much faster! I will most certainly be back.

T. Harper

After a friend of mine took a Dynamic Handling Masterclass with Total Car Control he continually raved about how good it was, how much he learned and how much improved he had become in his driving since putting into practice what was learned on the day. I took his advice and booked the same course with Ivan. I previously had had one track day with tuition and an on road driving course.

Everything about Ivan and Total Car Control was professional and immediately I felt in safe hands. After analysing my driving style we gradually began building different techniques and changing a few ingrained techniques. Everything seemed to build in layers and I soon felt much more confident in reading the road and carrying more speed into bends safely. I thought I was a relatively smooth driver but Ivan kindly and carefully took me to levels I didn’t think I’d reach, and certainly not so quickly.

The course is definitely designed around the participant and Ivan realised that I would get the most benefit out of the Alpine hill route. Wow, what a road! With Ivan driving it first, it seemed rather daunting with so much to learn – vision, positioning, road surface, cambers, appropriate speed etc, but I was amazed at how quickly and how much I improved. The many techniques that Ivan used to help me read the road and progress at rapid yet appropriate speeds gave me so much confidence that I am truly inspired.

I am delighted with my progress and, when my wife asked if I thought the day was value for money, I told her that you get what you pay for, and I consider that I paid for the best tuition I could ask for. I realise that this course should just be the start, so maybe it’s time to put some money aside for further development and training from Total Car Control! Without question, a ten out of ten from me!

I. McWilliams

I wanted to say thanks for the course, I found it useful and enjoyable; when I got back to London, it felt like everyone was driving terribly!

What you taught me will make driving more involving again as I’ll be thinking much more than I was before.

I certainly appreciate the car more than I did and get a better sense of what people mean when they say it is so well balanced

D. Bryant

With no pre-conceptions as to my own driving ability I booked a full day’s tuition at Milbrook with Total Car Control.

The day was a total revelation that firstly confirmed my driving ability was somewhat limited but, with Ivan’s clear instruction, I was able to make very significant improvement in my car handling ability over the course of the day.

Secondly, I was astounded to experience the high performance capability of a modern sports car which is simply impossible to unleash on the open road.

Thirdly, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to push myself and the car in a controlled, managed and high speed environment, confident that the man in the left seat was providing high quality instructions throughout.

Fourthly, the man in the left seat clearly has confidence in his instructional capability as he guides relatively novice drivers at high speed on the Millbrook Alpine Circuit with 29 corners and a large amount of Armco…

J. Rigg

Spending the day with Ivan has had a fundamental and permanent impact on my driving. Not since my first driving lesson have I learnt so much useful material in such a short space of time.

Learning left foot and trail braking so quickly was fantastic and the line I take when out on the road is permanently changed – overall, my confidence in exploiting the potential of my car is hugely increased.

It was a great day, great fun and I’ll certainly be back for another.

J. Gordon

I very much enjoyed the Total Control Masterclass and genuinely feel that I got a lot out of it, in terms of my approach now to both road and track driving, plus a much better understanding of my Ferrari 360, its performance capabilities and how to get the best out of it. I would therefore be happy to recommend you to friends with similar cars who might benefit from your training and I will personally be back next year for a refresher and to develop my skills further.

All the best and I look forward to seeing you next year.

H. Cornes

Total Car Control was a revelation to me, as I was always a bit sceptical of the applied benefits of ‘track days’ and other advanced driving courses out there in day to day driving. I had a long (5 years+) break from driving before I acquired my BMW 435i, but I have always considered myself a very capable and experienced driver in no need of tutoring. In hindsight, I would have described my driving technique as ‘ambitious’, but perhaps lacking good understanding of on-road safety and my car’s capabilities and full potential. Hence the initial scepticism when my girlfriend presented me the TCC training package for my 29th birthday; though I’m happy to admit now that I found the training tremendously helpful and a great confidence booster.

I truly enjoy my day to day driving, and I apply most of the advanced driving skills (left foot braking, distance vision, improved reactions, speed control, cornering) behind the wheel in everyday situations. Time with Total Car Control is great value for money and a worthwhile investment for anyone who’s spent their hard earned £s on a performance vehicle. It’s a small percentage compared to the value of your car, but the amount of enjoyment you get out of your car through performance, controlled on-road dominance and safe speed driving is immense, and cannot be measured by money.

I would highly recommend the TCC high performance driving courses to anyone – whether you’re a seasoned driver with 20+ years of experience under your belt looking to push your vehicle to the limits, or a proud owner of a brand new expensive high performance car looking to preserve the safety of your investment and want to get that ‘edge’ that you won’t get in everyday driving. I will be back for another course next year, thanks to Ivan.

Vlad M

After over 50 years of motoring experience I had thought that I was a reasonably accomplished driver and as I drove up to Millbrook last Friday morning in my newly acquired Mercedes 250 SLK AMG, my first ever sports car, I was looking forward to learning a few tips on Performance Handling, and having a bit of fun.

On the journey home that evening I was a totally different man – completely exhausted and drained, totally exhilarated, incredibly excited and psychologically stimulated to the ‘n-th’ degree. In short it was a fabulous day, brilliantly planned, bespoke tailored to suit an old man like me with his new toy and enormously worthwhile. I learned so much, not only about my abilities as a driver but particularly about my car, its capabilities, its technology and the excitement of driving it safely at speeds and tolerances which I would never have thought I was capable. Not only did I learn so much about myself and my car but I had more fun and enjoyment than I can remember for a very long time.

Millbrook was a truly remarkable place. Looking at it on Google Earth beforehand gave me an idea that this was going to be an experience. The long straight on which I learned to avoid a child running in front of the car when I was doing 70 mph and retain perfect control, the hour on the enormous skid pan doing figures of eight and learning to control both my front and back ends at speed were all excellent experience and I am sure will have made me a far safer driver.

But the majority of the time was spent on the Outer Handling Circuit and the Alpine Course. I have never driven at such speed (for me) on twisting undulating circuits before. Your coaching was truly expert and even my wife now says that I am driving so much more smoothly although I don’t think she has realised how much faster we are going! For 50 years I have always prided myself at being rather good at knowing where the apex of a corner is – how wrong I have been. What a huge difference it makes when you get it right; I now no longer even look at the same part of the road as I have done for half a century!

Having spent tens of thousands of pounds on buying a high performance car it seems crazy not to spend a few hundred more on learning how to drive and control it properly. I could not recommend this course more strongly and would wish to thank you for your excellent and sympathetic instruction, for tailoring the day specifically to my needs and for giving me so much fun.

J. Rodwell

I booked the 2-Day Total Control Masterclass as, with a seriously powerful car, I really wanted to both experience the car at the car’s limits, and mine. The first day was spent on the Millbrook handling circuits, hill circuit and skid pan.

After learning a huge amount from Ivan off the public roads, it was time to put what was learnt into practise on the public roads. What a difference. It truly is amazing how much isn’t taught during standard driving lessons. My driving style has changed a lot, and I would definitely recommend booking the two day course as I found both days of equal value! A fantastic course.

R. Tomlinson

I learned more in 2 days (one day at Millbrook Proving Ground, one day on the road) than I have in 40 years driving and 5 years of track driving. Ivan Thompsett really made the process great fun whilst I climbed a big learning curve.

Ivan is your man if you want to understand why as well as how, and make a quantum leap in your driving skills and car enjoyment.

Simon