In our occasional series on expats who have led interesting lives, Cary Johnston tells the story of a racing coach who taught the stars

He’s taught some of the biggest A-list celebrities how to drive sports cars. Now, he’s ready for a new (and just as exhilarating) challenge in Spain.

Any celebrity that visited the famous Silverstone race circuit between 1993 and 2000 for a day out in a fast car, was probably given expert tuition by Neil Riddiford. Originally from Buckingham, Neil became an expert in all categories of race car through his love of motor sport as a youngster. In 1986 he was a pupil of the Silverstone Racing School, subsequently being crowned Formula Renault Champion – the first British winner.

In later years, he put his expertise to good use at Silverstone by coaching celebrities like
Callum Best (son of football legend George Best), Swedish hard-man actor Dolph Lundgren and “it” girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

“Some of them were just as you’d expect. Tara being quite an outrageous character, was equally as outrageous in the car!” laughs Neil. But some people you’d expect to be quite boisterous, were actually rather quiet. Someone like Dolph Lundgren (who starred in the Bond movie A View to a Kill and Rocky IV) who you’d expect to be a real macho guy, was actually the nicest person in the world – a really gentle, kind, sort of person. Very different to the characters he portrays.”

Other celebs that Neil has taught include champion jockey Richard Dunwoody, boxer Barry McGuigan and actor Jeremy Irons. But eventually living in the fast lane was somewhat at odds with the demands of family life.

“I moved to Estepona with my wife Jane and three daughters – all under the age of four! – three years ago. My cousin has lived here for ten years so we’d spent holidays here and thought a move to Spain would be good for the children and our overall lifestyle.”

But to satisfy his motoring bug, Neil has now set up a quad bikes tour company here in southern Spain with business partner Rod Underwood, for motor enthusiasts and non-experts alike to get the best out of some of the wilder and most spectacular vistas of the Costa del Sol: “It gives people an insight into the ‘off the beaten track’ scenery that the coastline offers.”

Finally, I can’t resist putting Neil on the spot. After all, having instructed hundreds of people, he’d be best placed to answer the age-old question: who makes better drivers, men or women?

“Er....I think women tend to listen more,” answers Neil diplomatically. He smiles: “The guys think they know it all...”

www.benahavisquadtours.com
Tel: +34 663 740 718

This article first appeared in the magazine Dreamlife, which has a circulation of 60,000 in the Costa del Sol. See: www.dreamlife-magazine.com

[Copyright Expatica]

[July 2007]

Subject: Spain; racing driver