Hublot is partnering with Lapland Ice Driving. Image courtesy of Hublot
Swiss watchmaker Hublot is taking its timekeeping capabilities to an icy motorsport experience.
The brand is partnering with Lapland Ice Driving, which replicates Formula One tracks on an iced-over lake in Sweden, putting drivers behind the wheel of modified Ferraris. As the watchmaking partner of Ferrari, this wintry association will further Hublot’s existing presence in automotive sports as well as its relationship to the supercar marque.
Ferraris on ice
Lapland Ice Driving is hosted on in the village of Arjeplog, Sweden. Located nearby to the Arctic Circle, the town has a population of about 2,000.
Due to the cold climate, with temperatures ranging between 23 and -40 degrees Fahrenheit, the 1,200-hectare lake in Arjeplog freezes over every winter from January to March. Lapland then creates about 30 miles of track on the newly solid body of water.
The driving experience includes full-size recreations of four Formula One tracks: Yas Marina, Paul Ricard, Nürburgring and Silverstone.
Lapland Ice Driving recreates Formula One on ice. Image courtesy of Hublot
“So much more than a driving school, Lapland Ice Driving is an experience in its own right without compromise,” said Eric Gallardo, founder of Lapland Ice Driving, in a statement. “As our slogan puts it: like nowhere else!
“Today, the values of Lapland Ice Driving are strong,” he said. “We are happy to share this quest for excellence with our partner Hublot.”
Hublot will serve as the official timekeeper of Lapland Ice Driving for three seasons, through 2020. Exclusive trips will take participants on snowmobile rides, excursions to view the Northern Lights and visits to the Arctic Circle, with accommodations in Arjeplog.
As part of the partnership with Hublot, a driving course will let guests pilot Ferraris that have been altered to be able to reach speeds of 124mph on ice.
“This partnership demonstrates our ever stronger involvement in the ultimate mechanical experiences, just like our association with Ferrari,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, in a statement. “Here, thanks to Eric Gallardo and Lapland Ice Driving, we are dealing with one of the most extreme adventures that it is possible to experience behind the wheel of a sports car.”