After Dinner SpeakersBen Collins is the former ‘Stig’.
Ben entered Motorsport in 1994 and began a winning career in single-seaters (International Formula Three, Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One Testing).
In 2003, a switch to American NASCAR racing brought about the European Days of Thunder Crown. Ben destroyed the opposition to score a record number of points, beating experienced drivers from the ARCA, BUSCH and CHAMP CAR series.
Few racing drivers can boast of having won as many races in various racing series as Ben, from Le Mans racing to Formula Three to Nascar Stock Cars.
Ben Collins – The Man in the White Suit:
Best known for his role as ‘The Stig‘, Ben Collins has put every known supercar to the test, racing the world’s greatest cars, from the Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari 430 Scuderia to a London Routemaster.
From the anonymity of his white helmet, he taught some of the world’s most famous stars how to lay down a fast racing lap, caught a parachutist in his moving car, and coached a blind man how to take on a chicane!
Few others, if any, have taken on a British Army tank division in a Mitsubishi Evo.
As a presenter, Ben presented ‘Extreme Teens’ for the BBC and worked on Driven, Pulling Power and Fifth Gear.
Ben has worked with many celebrities, including teaching Daniel Craig the fine art of advanced driving for Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. As a consultant on set, Ben was a vital stunt team member, producing some of the most daring car stunts ever seen.
Ben’s bestselling memoir, The Man in the White Suit, charts a life of passion, commitment and determination to succeed in the highly competitive adrenalin fuelled world of motorsport
After-Dinner and Motorpsort Motivational Speaker:
Ben Collins is an expert on driving and the mental aptitude required to be a professional.
As a motor racing motivational speaker, he communicates what it feels like to race, where split-second timing, high pressure and total focus are essential, and then to adapt these skills to the challenges of everyday life.
Ben’s strength of character was revealed very early on when, as a child, his family moved to America, and he was enrolled into a local swimming team. His competitive nature drove him to nationwide competition and a gruelling training regime of 30 hours a week by age 7.
Winning was etched into his ethos, and his determination to succeed has remained a constant throughout his life.
Ben understands the corporate world well and, as Brand Manager for Hornby Scalextric for several years, was responsible for a significant upturn in sales.
Ben spends a great deal of time hosting corporate events and track days and is sensitive to the complexities of the business world. Clients include Vodafone, DHL, Sony, Oakley, and Sunday Times.
Ben’s boundless enthusiasm, interest in everything, and never-say-die attitude make him a captivating speaker.
His unique and ongoing career exemplifies making the most of every opportunity, and his story relates how personal development and significant commitment will overcome all the odds.
Ben Collins Speaking Themes:
Motivation:
As a motor racing driver, Ben’s life hangs in the balance of split-second decisions made at speeds exceeding 220 mph. Ben is an expert on the mental aptitude required to be a professional in this highly competitive environment. He provides insights on what it feels like to race in a high-pressure environment where the combined value of teamwork determines success or failure, and total focus is the key to unlocking potential.
Teamwork:
The Driver in a racing team sits at the hub of a group of experts channelling their unique skills towards the goal of winning. That shared vision links every individual, and invariably, the weakest link in the chain determines whether the Team will win or lose. Words like camaraderie, commitment, motivation, teamwork and trust find their true value when a racing car slides into the hands of the pit crew at 3 a.m. of a 24-hour race for a tyre change and a refuel during a monsoon.
Inspiration:
Ben’s career was forged by competition and the search for inner strength. The Stig epitomised a superhuman quality that was effortless and matter-of-fact, but the man behind the mask had to dig very deep for every victory, every lap time and every inch of tarmac. His story is not one of indomitable victory but of learning to overcome setbacks, personal risk-taking and survival, and little luck.
Future Technology:
Ben understands the complexities of the business world as well as racing. His company continues to thrive under his leadership and provides ever-greater spectacles of driving. Motor racing is a sport that thrives on new technology. Ben is pioneering the energy systems of the future that will augment and replace the use of carbon-based fuels. Ben is working with a number of companies to develop sustainable energy systems for the future to power our mobility.
