St. Moritz, Switzerland – The 2026 edition of The I.C.E. St. Moritz once again turned the frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz into one of the most unusual concours settings in the world. Set against the Engadin mountains, the event continued its now established format: a curated selection of historic competition and road cars presented first in static display, then in controlled dynamic sessions on the ice.
Fifty vehicles spanning multiple eras and categories were invited, reinforcing The I.C.E.’s position as a winter counterpart to traditional summer concours. The atmosphere balanced high-end hospitality with serious automotive focus, drawing collectors, manufacturers and heritage departments alongside a broader public audience.
For Audi aficionados, however, one car stood clearly at the center of attention.
AUDI TRADITION BRINGS A GROUP B LEGEND
Audi Tradition used the 2026 event to present the Audi Sport quattro S1 E2, one of the most extreme evolutions of Audi’s Group B rally program. In a field that included pre-war coachbuilt icons and landmark sports racers, the short-wheelbase, heavily winged S1 E2 stood apart as a machine shaped entirely by performance demands dictated by the 1980s World Rally Championship Group B rulebook.
The car represents the final and most aggressive stage of Audi’s factory rally development in that era. Its enlarged aerodynamic elements, extensive use of lightweight materials and highly tuned turbocharged five-cylinder engine were all responses to the escalating pace of Group B competition. While originally developed for gravel and tarmac rally stages, the S1’s permanent all-wheel drive system made its appearance on a frozen lake particularly compelling.
TOM KRISTENSEN AT THE WHEEL
Driving duties were handled by Tom Kristensen, whose long association with Audi in endurance racing adds another layer to the brand’s competition pedigree. Best known for his success at Le Mans with Audi prototypes, Kristensen’s presence connected the company’s rally past with its later dominance in sports car racing.
Tom’s also an I.C.E. veteran, having come here last year to drive the Audi Group S prototype also known as “RS 002”. He’s seasoned in this regard, and no doubt The unforgettable spectacle of The I.C.E. isn’t a hard sell when it comes to considering a return.
During the weekend’s driving sessions, Tom used the available space to show the car’s responsiveness and traction on low-grip surfaces without treating it as a fragile exhibit. No doubt the sound of the turbocharged inline-five carrying clearly across the lake, provided a reminder of the car’s significance. That he enjoyed passing other spectacular automobiles on the outside under those slippery condition was another reminder that this was a dominating competition car first and a heritage display second.
CONCOURS DISPLAY ON ICE & SPECTACLE IN THE SKY
Beyond Audi’s participation, The I.C.E. continues to maintain its broader cultural and design focus. Judging took place among the parked cars on Friday, with awards across multiple categories recognizing historical significance, preservation and design. On Saturday, selected cars completed low-speed laps on the ice, offering spectators a rare chance to see valuable historic machinery in motion in an unusual environment.
Adding to the program, the Patrouille Suisse conducted aerial displays over St. Moritz and the frozen lake. The flyovers introduced an additional layer of spectacle, aligning aviation precision with the event’s broader focus on engineering excellence.
The I.C.E. St. Moritz continues to distinguish itself by placing historically significant cars in a setting that highlights both their design and their mechanical purpose. Against a backdrop more commonly associated with winter sports than motorsport, vehicles that once competed at the limits are repositioned as cultural artifacts without being stripped of their functional identity.
In that environment, the Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 served as a concise summary of Audi’s heritage. Its presence here demonstrated the same all-wheel drive and turbocharged engineering principles that reshaped rallying in the 1980s and still influence Audi performance cars today.
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