What Silverstone Rally School does

Silverstone Rally School is a UK-based rally driving training and experience business founded in 1982 and located at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. It operates a purpose-built training facility comprising a gravel rally stage, skid pan, handbrake stage, perimeter stage, and 4x4 off-road course, supported by a fleet of professionally prepared rally cars (Ford Escort Mk2, Nissan Micra, Suzuki Swift, Subaru Impreza in FWD and RWD configurations). The school holds British Association of Rally Schools (BARS) accreditation, authorizing it to issue official rally licences required for UK stage rally competition through the Motorsport UK pathway.

The company serves four primary customer segments: individual enthusiasts (adults aged 17+), youth drivers aged 12-17, corporate groups (6-24 participants) seeking team building and client entertainment, and aspiring competitors pursuing BARS licensing and competition preparation. Its product portfolio spans entry-level taster experiences (Adrenaline at £120, Hot Laps at £40), half-day (£185) and full-day (£325) rally programmes, 1:1 private tuition (from £195 for 30 minutes up to full-day bespoke), BARS licensing pathways (£120-£1,250), co-driver training (£595-£1,190), full-day stunt experiences, off-road 4x4 challenges, a year-long Junior Academy, and arrive-and-drive rally car hire (from £2,500) covering UK rally events. Ancillary revenue streams include gift vouchers valid 12 months and the Rally W Competition (£399 entry) targeting female driver development.

The business operates a primarily direct-to-consumer model with bookings through its own website (Booking Hound platform) and phone/email reservations, supplemented by reseller distribution via Virgin Experiences and Red Letter Days gift platforms, and a direct sales motion for corporate event packages. The company was privately acquired by Dan Chester in 2025 after 40+ years under prior ownership; it employs fewer than 10 people and operates as an independent, privately held motorsport training business with no disclosed venture capital or institutional backing.

Name

Silverstone Rally School

Legal name

Silverstone Rally School

Website

https://silverstonerally.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Silverstone Rally School, founded 1982 at the Silverstone Circuit, is a UK rally driving training business offering experience days, BARS licensing, junior academy, corporate events, and rally car hire to enthusiasts, youth, corporates, and aspiring competitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rally Driving Training

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsport Driver Training Schools & Racing Academies (MPAKAJAJ)

Keywords

• Rally driving training
• Motorsport experiences
• Driving school services
• Stunt driving courses
• BARS rally licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Silverstone

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Rally Driving Experiences: One-time experiences including Adrenaline (£120), Half Day (£185), Full Day (£325), Off-Road Challenge (£120), and combination packages. Customers pay per experience with varying durations and in-car time.
2. Private Tuition: One-to-one coaching sessions from £195 for 30 minutes up to full day bespoke training sessions.
3. Passenger Rides: High-speed passenger experience with professional rally driver at £99 per person.
4. BARS Licencing: BARS assessment and licensing programme including BARS Pack (£120), BARS Test (£500), and Advanced BARS (£1,250) for those seeking competition credentials.
5. Rally Car Hire: Full rally package hire from £2,500 including vehicle, navigators, mechanics, fuel, tyres, and on-event support for UK rally events.
6. Co-Driver Training: Training for rally co-drivers including Half Day (£595) and Full Day (£1,190) programmes covering pace notes, navigation, and stage timing.
7. Gift Vouchers: Voucher sales for experiences, valid 12 months from purchase, with optional gift cards available for £4.99.
8. Corporate Events: Bespoke corporate packages for teams of 6-24 participants combining meeting facilities with rally driving experiences. Pricing on request.
9. Rally W Competition: Entry fee competition (£399) to discover female rally drivers, with prizes including professional training and fully funded rally event entry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Silverstone Rally School operates a single-site rally driving training facility at the Silverstone Circuit in the UK, offering paid driving experiences (Adrenaline, Half Day, Full Day), 4x4 off-road challenges, one-to-one private tuition, passenger rides, stunt driving courses, BARS rally licensing assessments, co-driver training, junior/youth programmes, rally car hire with full event support, corporate team-building days, and gift vouchers. The school sells directly to consumers and corporate clients, with vouchers also distributed through experience-gift resellers.

Product overview

Silverstone Rally School is a single-site rally driving training facility located at the Silverstone Circuit, offering a comprehensive portfolio of experiences across multiple formats and price points. The core offering comprises rally driving experiences (Adrenaline, Half Day, Full Day), off-road 4x4 challenges, private 1:1 tuition, passenger rides, and hot laps. Supporting programmes include BARS licensing (Pack, Test, Advanced), co-driver training, corporate events, and youth/junior academy programmes. The school also provides rally car hire with full event support. Products range from entry-level £40 taster experiences to advanced £1,250 multi-day programmes, with combo packages combining rally and off-road disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adrenaline Experience

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of drivers trained over 40+ years of operation

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Virgin ExperiencesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVirgin Experiences is an experience gift retailer that sells Silverstone Rally School vouchers on their platform, enabling customers to purchase rally driving experiences as gifts.
• Red Letter DaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRed Letter Days is an experience gifts company that resells Silverstone Rally School experiences and vouchers on their platform.
• British Association of Rally Schools (BARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBARS is the governing body for rally schools in the UK. Silverstone Rally School is a BARS accredited school authorized to issue official BARS rally licences required for competition.
• Motorsport UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK motorsport governing body. After passing BARS assessment, drivers can apply for Motorsport UK Stage Rally Licence through this partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Prodrive: Banbury-based motorsport group behind the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team and Aston Martin Racing, also operating driving experiences. Comparable to Silverstone Rally School through rally-specific expertise, instructor talent, and motorsport experience offerings, though Prodrive's primary business is professional team operations and automotive engineering.
• MSV Circuits: UK operator of multiple motorsport circuits (Brands Hatch, Donington, Snetterton, Cadwell Park, Bedford Autodrome, Oulton Park) offering track days, driving experiences and corporate events. Comparable to Silverstone as a broader motorsport experience operator with overlapping experience-day products, though MSV's portfolio extends beyond rally.
• Thruxton Motorsport Centre: UK motorsport circuit offering driving experiences, race school and corporate events. Comparable to Silverstone as a UK motorsport experience venue, though Thruxton's primary offering is circuit-based (cars and bikes) rather than rally-specific.

Direct peers

• PalmerSport: Premium UK driving experience provider at Bedford Autodrome offering single-seater, rally, 4x4 and supercar experiences with corporate packages. Comparable to Silverstone in motorsport experience business model, premium pricing, and corporate events focus.
• Phil Price Rally School: Welsh rally driving school providing rally experiences, courses and rally car hire on a purpose-built gravel stage. Closely comparable to Silverstone in core offering (rally experiences, training, car hire) and customer segments (enthusiasts, corporate, licence seekers).
• Knockhill Racing Circuit: Scotland's premier motorsport venue operating rally experiences, driving experiences, karting and corporate events. Comparable to Silverstone Rally School as a UK motorsport training and experience venue with rally-specific offerings on site.
• Everyman Racing: UK provider of rally, racing and supercar driving experiences at multiple UK circuits and rally schools. Comparable to Silverstone as a competing aggregator and operator of rally/driving experiences targeting enthusiast consumers and gift buyers.
• Bill Gwynne Rally School: UK rally driving school offering rally experiences, training courses and competition preparation. Directly comparable to Silverstone Rally School in product offering, target customer (motorsport enthusiasts and aspiring rally drivers), and business model; also noted in the data as a former employer of Silverstone's current owner.

Emerging players

• Trackdays.co.uk: UK online marketplace and operator facilitating track day bookings, driving experiences and rally experiences across multiple venues. Comparable to Silverstone Rally School as a competing channel for consumer driving experience bookings, with partial overlap on rally products.

Regional players

• Mondello Park: Ireland's only motorsport venue offering rally experiences, racing school, karting and corporate events. Comparable to Silverstone Rally School in product offering (rally experiences, training, corporate events) but operates exclusively in the Republic of Ireland rather than the UK mainland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silverstone-rally-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silverstone Rally School