F.A.T. International’s Aspen Ice Race

50 spectacular vehicles duke it out on an 1,809-foot frozen track

As far as mountain towns in North America go, Aspen is unmatched in its appeal thanks to its walkable downtown, a variety of activities and top-tier hospitality options. Whether you’re looking to get in the après mix at Hotel Jerome’s lively J-Bar or aiming for a more relaxing atmosphere like that of The Living Room at The Little Nell, Aspen has a wealth of options that we continue to return to. When it comes to the winter months specifically we can’t think of much that’s missing from Aspen, which is what makes the addition of a new marquee event to the seasonal calendar particularly intriguing.  

Currently the name F.A.T. International may only be familiar to diehard motorsport enthusiasts who know of the French logistics company that has supported various racing programs—including the winning Porsche 962 at Le Mans in 1994. This recognition will likely soon expand thanks to the vision of Ferdi Porsche and his college friend Vinzenz Greger, who led the initial revival of the GP Ice Race in 2019 after it was dormant since 1974. The great-grandson of the prestigious automaker’s founder Ferdinand Porsche (for whom the first GP Ice Race was held in memory of in 1952), the gregarious 30-year-old has big plans for the F.A.T. name which he secured the rights to, as well as the original logo, with the goal of creating an umbrella brand for all various events and lifestyle products. Between Ferdi’s passion for the automotive community at large and a desire to infuse a great deal of fun into the whitespace that exists between poorly produced track days and comically expensive Pro-Am racing, it’s easy to imagine the concept of F.A.T. going places. 

Having now experienced the first iteration of the F.A.T. International Ice Race outside of Zell-am-See, Austria (where the original GP ice races were held, as well as the initial revival races under the GP name in 2019 and 2020) we’re even more bullish on Ferdi’s mission to revive the spirit of ‘80s/‘90s motorsport. Understanding that it wouldn’t be a stretch to get drivers, vehicles and spectators out to Aspen for a few days of friendly competition and exhibition, F.A.T. and presenting sponsor Mobil 1 managed to lock in 50 spectacular vehicles and succeed in the difficult task of getting an inaugural event done right—with an audience at capacity.

Clearly there’s as much of an appetite in the US as there is in Europe to see iconic cars like the 1998 Le Mans-winning Porsche GT1-98 and very last Porsche 550 Spyder to be built, as well as contemporary creations like the late Ken Block’s BBi built “Hoonipigasus,” pro-drifting racer Ryan Turek’s 1966 Toyota Stout pickup and Oil Stain Lab’s “Half11” (Half 911, half F1) duke it out on the 1,809-foot frozen track.

Over the course of the two days spent on site we spoke to enthusiasts, collectors and professionals, all were eager to praise Ferdi for not only resurrecting the GP ice race, but breathing new life into it and having the confidence to bring it stateside. It was a worthy companion to this year’s event in Zell-am-See with a range of industry talent such as Luftgekuhlt founder Patrick Long, drift-racer Chris Forsberg, Andial co-founder Dieter Inzenhofer and Stéphane Ortelli (a driver on the ‘98 LeMans winning Porsche team) on hand to pilot a variety of vehicles.

To see a mint condition Mercedes-Benz 300SL sliding elegantly around a corner one minute and then the 1985 Pikes Peak-winning Audi Quattro Sport S1 spraying snow everywhere the next is unheard of on this continent. The diversity of vehicles in the paddock brought to mind a video game selection screen where your wildest automotive fantasies come true: two Ford RS2000s, an Escort Cosworth rally car, a real Mini policecar, an array of pro-driver turned builder Leh Keen’s “Keen Project” safari 911s sitting along side a few more 911s from legendary Porsche modifier RUF. Volkswagen was well represented with the brand new Golf R finally out of the camouflage it wore at the Austrian race and taking to the course with Tanner Foust behind the wheel on his way to claiming the fastest time of the weekend.

Collector Philip Sarofim brought two fan favorites, a rare VW Golf “Country” and remastered Meyers Manx sporting head turning “Ocean Spray” paint, and VW of America bought one of two surviving twin-engine Mk2 Golfs that ran at Pikes Peak in the late ‘80s. As the event also marked the kick off of Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary celebrations, they brought some variety to the paddock with a Corvette E-Ray, Cadillac CTS V and Toyota GT-86, as well as a rally style Nissan Z and V10-swapped Toyota Supra. Inside the spacious clubhouse, authentic Austrian breakfast and lunch was served daily, alongside regionally sourced wine and beer, all of which was included in the price of admission. Furthermore the merch section was stocked with jackets, sweatshirts and accessories that were of notable quality, a rarity at most automotive events, but not a surprise here. 

From the welcome party hosted at Aether’s boutique in town to the closing party hosted by Rivian at the recently opened MOLLIE hotel, the weekend experience was elevated without being pretentious—another rarity. Our hope is to see the event return in 2025 with an easier to swallow price of admission, something Ferdi himself wants to accomplish as he believes that F.A.T. Ice Race events should be for everyone. A larger venue with capacity for more attendees would bring the ticket price down, so perhaps we’ll see a larger event all around next year. With that being said, it was genuinely refreshing to attend an event where you could easily talk to everyone, see everything and not be pressed for time. F.A.T. International may be in the infancy of its stewardship under Ferdi, but it’s clearly in good hands. The event not only managed to bring a piece of European automotive history to the US but brought with it the culture as well.

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