The Fastest Lapland

Under the Northern Lights, in sub-zero temperatures amid snow-capped fir trees and packs of huskies pulling sleds the Ferraris shot across the ice – the sound of V8 engines echoing over the frozen landscape. 

That was the backdrop for this year’s participants of the Ferrari Club Challenge, where after arriving in Lapland, Northern Sweden, they were given the opportunity to undertake two days of driving the Ferrari 488 Challenge in extreme conditions. 

Watch the participants of the Passione Ferrari Club Challenge take on the snowy track at high speed in Lapland

Expert instructors were on hand to mentor them on advanced driving skills, including the art of drifting, switching sides at high speed (up to 180km/h), and reaching more than 220km/h on the straights.

The three-day experience wasn’t just a unique automotive experience however, it was an immersion into Nordic culture: with panoramic helicopter tours, traditional Lappish meals, adventures on dog sleds and much more besides. 

Participants were based at the Silverhatten Hotel in the picturesque town of Arjeplog, situated right next to the frozen lake where the driving activities took place. From there, when not piloting the powerful Ferraris over the snow, they were able to take the latest model snowmobiles through the forests and over the hills of the local area, pausing only to enjoy barbeque dinners in the open. 

Over two days of action-packed driving on the snow, the drivers were able to hone their skills under the tutelage of expert instructors

But the star of the show was undoubtedly the 488 Challenge, with a 3.9 litre V8 engine putting out 670cv it was the perfect machine for pushing the limits out on the ice. 

One lucky driver, Laurent De Meeus said: “Anyone who has ever fancied driving an unbridled Ferrari with little or no grip, search no further."

“I have driven a lot of different Ferraris in my life, whether on roads, tracks and as a racing driver, but I have never felt so many thrills." 

“The coaches, all experienced rally drivers, were immensely helpful in teaching us braking techniques and how to keep a lateral drift around ovals. I am pretty sure that I can now drive with relative safety most Ferraris in CT OFF on the manettino!" 

The client and Ferrari Challenge driver, Thomas Neubauer said: "The Club Challenge on Ice is a totally immersive experience. An exclusive opportunity to learn how to perfectly control a car for track like the 488 Challenge on ice in safe conditions, surrounded by magnificent scenery, at the edge of the Arctic Circle."

Ferrari Challenge winner Emanuele Tabacchi added: “The event was beautiful! I'm biased because you know my great passion for driving and driving there is always a fabulous experience."

The Northern Lights provided a spectacular backdrop to the gleaming Prancing Horses as they prepared for the next day's racing on the snow

“Not counting the ride with the helicopter, the snowmobiles, the northern lights, you have then chosen an optimal partner with their reproduced slopes and therefore slopes where you can actually make some speed… driving the Challenge and using her to the limit was amazing.”

While another client, Nick Halle enthused: “It was unbelievable for me how the 488 Challenge with spikes and on ice nevertheless brings so much power."

“Drifting around the corners was great fun, but it also showed me that the driver and the car have to be one in order for everything to work.”

Halle, specifically, is a young driver who aims to use his experience gained at the course to get a licence to drive in professional Ferrari Challenge events later this year – the first of which was held in Valencia. 

But for all the drivers involved over the three snow-laden days the event was certainly a memorable one, a mix of the best that nature and engineering have to offer – a festival of Ferrari on the ice.