Ferraris typically prowl the stylish streets of beach-front Miami, southern California coastline, and high society havens of Monaco and the Mediterranean. Warm and dry weather sends Ferrari owners to scenic landscapes and twisty roads where sportscar handling blends with raw horsepower. So why would Ferrari host a small group of guests in the cold depths of winter to drive old Ferraris that struggle for grip on slippery ice and snow? The question answers itself. Why wouldn’t you want to enjoy Italian hospitality in a Swiss ski resort town driving an assortment of vintage Ferraris sideways on a frozen lake?!
The Speed Journal joined the Ferrari Corso Pilota Classiche Program in St. Moritz for a weekend that could only happen in one place. Each year, Lake St. Moritz freezes when the winter takes hold. The blue waters give way to a palate of blue skies and white ice and snow. For one weekend each February, The International Concours of Elegance (known as The I.C.E.) hosts a dynamic concours on the frozen lake.
Great cars from all decades may be pretty to look at, but each recognizes that they were made to move. Seeing and hearing beautiful cars in motion in the Swiss Alps is an irresistible combination and the event has become a classic. Many private Ferrari owners participate each year. Customer interest, a compelling venue, and the proximity to Ferrari’s headquarters in northern Italy also provides an opportunity to host a Corso Pilota Classiche event.
The Ferrari Corso Pilota Classiche Program is designed for Ferrari owners to maintain the passion of driving vintage Ferraris that sometimes sit stationary in garages or museums. It is part of the broader Ferrari Classiche program that keeps older Ferraris on the road. Many guests find their way to the driving program through their local Ferrari dealer.
The Speed Journal previously visited Maranello with Corso Pilota Classiche-Fiorano. That course featured the hallowed ground of Fiorano, Ferrari’s home test track. Each Ferrari model is unique and the event offered seat time in a selection of different vintage Ferraris from the iconic family tree. Driving around the test track at speed put a premium on smoothness and car control and mastering the Prancing Horse classics took a unique set of skills.
Many of the same principles apply to driving on ice, except for the studded tires and the encouragement to throw the car sideways in rally-car style. Another enormous benefit to driving on a giant frozen lake is the absence of immovable objects to hit. Spinning off course involves a sheepish reset rather than a dented Ferrari.
The weekend started as guests from around the world converged on the luxurious Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Potresina, several miles down the road from downtown St. Moritz. The hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking the valley and surrounding snow-covered mountains.
Festivities started with a fabulous lunch at the iconic Kulm Country Club in St. Moritz. Ferrari established a temporary home at the Club dubbed “Casa Ferrari.” A Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar welcomed guests, parked just outside the front door. The club’s Alpine décor included a bobsled hung from the ceiling. The group enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco. A Ferrari F50 and SF90 XX amongst other current Ferrari models were silent but honored lunch guests and lined up along the rim of an outdoor ice rink.
The venue was a significant part of St. Moritz history. The small town hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948. The ice rinks hosted the skating competitions for the world’s best during the Olympics, but now skaters seek winter fun rather than medals.
After lunch, private transport whisked the group down the hill to The I.C.E. The dynamic concours was a treat for the senses.
Over 50 classic and modern sportscars cut lap after lap on the frozen surface in a rolling demonstration day. Race cars, road cars, coupes and convertibles, and everything in between delighted the crowd.
The Ferrari faithful appreciated seeing over a dozen vintage Ferraris. A strong showing from the early days of Ferrari included a 1950 166 Inter Cabriolet, a 1952 500 F2 Monoposto racer, a 1953 375 MM spider, 1957 500 TRC spider, 1959 Ferrari 196 S race car, and a 1961 250 GT SWB. The extraordinary field rivaled almost any museum in the world. But this collection was not protected by ropes and lapped to the joy of drivers and their passengers and the crowd armed with cameras and wine glasses.
With the awards given and The I.C.E. events formally concluded, Ferrari took over on Sunday. Drivers headed to Casa Ferrari for briefing and companions either came along to enjoy the day or charted their own adventures of skiing or snow shoeing. Those looking for a less vigorous day relaxed at the spa or hopped a tour on a horse drawn carriage.
Kessel Ferrari, the official Ferrari dealer in Lugano, Switzerland, brought a 296 Challenge car to set the tone for a high-performance driving day. Ferrari staff began with a briefing on the waiting machinery. In a modern age of high technology, it was an important reminder since the vintage cars are not equipped with driver aids.
Ferrari staff also discussed driving techniques. Wheelspin and sliding is part of the fun rather than signs of impending disaster. Intentionally throwing a car sideways involves managing the car’s weight and weight transfer. The “pendulum effect” pitches the car slightly to one side and then more violently back the other way to break traction at the rear and send the car sideways. For some guests, sliding intentionally was unfamiliar and understanding and mastering the technique was new. For others with prior ice driving or drifting experience, the refresher quickly brought those skills back to the surface.
The group packed into shuttles for the brief trip down the hill and across the ice and snow to the Ferrari hospitality tent on the frozen lake. Gleaming Ferraris lined up with engines already running which immediately pumped up the adrenalin level. Each was immaculate and outfitted with four studded tires. The time for talking was done.
Ferrari assigned a driving coach to each guest. With different levels of experience and skill, the coaches adjusted to the needs of their charges to help them get the most out of themselves, their cars, and the overall event. The “fun” factor was the primary priority for everyone.
A course of tight turns and fast sweepers twisted through the packed snow on the frozen lake. Once underway, third gear typically offered the right mix of torque and power band to keep the car moving and limit the need for shifting. While sliding decades-old Ferraris was novel, driving fundamentals of cornering lines, looking ahead and through corners, and maintaining proper hand positioning on the wheel were still vital.
Ferrari brought representatives from four decades of production cars. The newest and oldest were both front-engine 12-cylinder grand touring cars with manual transmissions: a red 1996 550 Maranello coupe and a light blue 1968 365 GTB/4 Daytona coupe. While just shy of thirty years separates the two, they are kindred spirits.
A pair of red 308 models brought mid-engine V-8 power in the form of a carbureted 308 GTS and a fuel injected 308 GTBi. A red 1980 Mondial coupe rounded out the group, also equipped with an eight-cylinder mid-engine layout.
Guests spent the morning getting used to the cars, the circuit and the technique needed to slide the sportscars across the slippery surface. Even pulling away slowly from a standstill required a deft touch of the throttle to produce forward momentum. Drivers found and overstepped their limits, spraying ice and snow behind, spinning in circles, and occasionally bumping into the snowy outside berms. Fortunately, a soft snow bank was more forgiving than a tire wall on a road course and a temporary case of injured pride rather than an injured car was the penalty.
The packed snow surface challenged drivers and punished those who got overconfident and overambitious. Gradually, drivers adapted and smiles took over as they sawed the steering wheel back and forth and got more comfortable controlling the slide with the throttle. It was immensely rewarding to slide through a corner under full control with a handful of opposite lock, a howling engine, and a spectacular spray of ice chips and snow.
The Mondial was considered by many to be very user friendly. It was well balanced and had just enough power to get the job done but not enough to allow the driver to rely solely on horsepower. Likewise, the 308 Ferraris proved that a car with neutral handling and an engine mounted in the middle could get sideways just like their more powerful stablemates.
The configuration of the 365 GTB/4 Daytona was perfect for drifting. A powerful 12 cylinder in the front and rear wheel drive at the back begged the driver to steer the rear back and forth with power. The 550 Maranello shared the same layout but was less nimble than the Daytona. It was heavier but more powerful and encouraged the driver to break the rear loose and keep the studded tires spinning for as long as they dared.
Fewer and fewer sportscars pair a powerful front engine with rear wheel drive, so the pair re-ignited a magic formula from the past. The classic Daytona cut a sharp profile against the white background. The thrill of wrestling a beast from the era when Enzo Ferrari blessed every car to wear the badge in such a unique environment was precisely the point of the Ferrari Corso Pilota Classiche St. Moritz.
After a full morning of driving fun, the group decamped to Casa Ferrari for lunch. The breather allowed guests to digest and process the morning, compare notes with coaches and colleagues, and prepare for an afternoon of more driving.
Drivers returned to find the same cars, but a changed track surface. The hard frozen crunch of the chilly morning gave way to softer slush under the mid-day sun. Lessons learned in the morning were adjusted, and in some cases, augmented with additional bravery. As drivers developed, coaches kept a close eye and offered helpful advice to keep progress going.
Multiple drivers shared the track during runs which provided an extra element of excitement as they slid their cars while watching their fellow guests do the same. All left plenty of room to avoid contact with each other. With more participants than cars, brief waits allowed guests to watch others and learn from seeing triumphs and setbacks. Ferrari guests and spectators from the town and those that had come for The I.C.E. event trained their cameras and mobile phones on the cars and driving exhibition.
Temperatures dropped as the sun fell in the sky. The mid-day slush gradually hardened for afternoon competition to end the day. Each guest ran a 308 through a timed slalom course with a 180 degree turn at both ends. Too much acceleration sent the Ferrari in a spin and cost time. Too tentative at the controls cost time from a lack of pace. Precise car control through the back and forth of the slalom challenged drivers to manage the pace and weight transfer. The exercise required every single skill the drivers accumulated during the day. The quickest time earned an award at the closing dinner later that evening.
Ferrari staff shuttled the happy group back to the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. Dinner between the snowy peaks and ski runs at the White Marmot Restaurant up the mountain from St. Moritz capped the day. Spectacular food and drink from the local Engadin valley paired with stories and laughter. Only Ferrari could deliver such a magical event.
The Speed Journal would like to thank Ferrari and their team for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
