When around 50 classic cars - the oldest dating back to 1934 and of course driven open-top - set off on a 1000 km winter rally in the middle of St. Moritz, accompanied by alphorn players, it is the start of the legendary WinterRAID.
No fewer than 20 car brands are represented at this year's 16th edition, with drivers from nine nations. The route covers around 1000 km over ice and snow, narrow mountain roads and passes in the Grisons Alps, Veneto and the Dolomites. Freezing cold is part of the program. There is a reason for this: "In summer, anyone can drive a classic car. In winter, however, the conditions are completely different - that's when the wheat is separated from the chaff," says Louis Frey, who drives an open Lagonda from 1934.
The challenging route will also be tackled by several VW Beetles, the oldest of which dates back to 1948. 25 hp and hardly any heating power must be enough to drive over the snow-covered Alpine passes.
The good traction and the proverbial reliability will certainly help.
You can read more about the WinterRAID on the event website.
