THE IWC RACING TEAM IN ST. MORITZ: ELEGANCE ON ICE
Schaffhausen/St. Moritz, 28 February 2022: IWC Schaffhausen’s racing team, IWC Racing, has kicked off its fourth racing season with a premiere: at the first edition of the ICE event in St. Moritz, the team made its debut on snow and ice. On unfamiliar terrain, Austrian racing driver and member of the IWC family Laura Kraihamer put in a strong performance at the wheel of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing”.
The frozen Lake St. Moritz in Switzerland, 1,800 meters above sea level, is a popular venue for horse races in winter. However, on 26 February 2022, the iconic location was taken over by classic race and sports cars from all over the world, as the luxurious winter sports destination welcomed the ICE, the International Concours of Elegance. IWC supported the event as Official Timing Partner.
The IWC racing team seized the opportunity to kick off its fourth racing season. In her second appearance for the team, Austrian racing driver Laura Kraihamer steered the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” across the frozen lake. Kraihamer, who has been a member of the IWC family since 2021, already sat behind the wheel of the “Gullwing” at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting in the UK last October. With the “300 SLS Porter”, IWC brought a second unique racing car to the ICE. American racing driver Chuck Porter designed this car in 1956 using components from a damaged 300 SL “Gullwing”, thereby creating a legendary one-off. Mastering the course on the frozen lake required a lot of focus and expert driving skills. The approximately 50 participants were grouped into six themed categories and competed with studded snow tires.
“Seeing these two 1950s legends, the ‘Gullwing’ and the ‘300 SLS Porter’, compete in the company of other historic racing cars on snow and ice for the first time was a truly unforgettable experience”, commented Philippe Franke, IWC Brand Director Switzerland.
IWC Schaffhausen has been present in the Swiss “Top of the World” destination with its own boutique for some years now and has a long-standing connection to motorsport. The brand founded its own motorsport team in 2018. Since then, the IWC racing team has competed at events including the Goodwood Members’ Meeting in the UK and the Arosa ClassicCar in Switzerland.
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titanium aluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life.
IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.