McLaren’s Arctic Experience: Why tearing across a frozen lake in the Arctic is an experience you’ll never forget

If there’s one place on earth where a supercar would be an unexpected sight, it’s Ivalo in Finland, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle and just 30 miles from the Russian border — much closer than feels comfortable right now. Here, amid fresh snow piled high, magnificent pine trees and seemingly endless horizons is Jávri Lodge, my accommodation for the next few days and once home to Finland’s longest-serving president.

I have come to enjoy McLaren’s Arctic Experience — one of several amazing trips McLaren offer as part of their Pure McLaren programme — which challenges drivers to learn to drift the £165,000, 203mph McLaren GT around a number of circuits carved onto one of Finland’s famous frozen lakes, safe in the knowledge that there is very little to hit if it all goes wrong. With a set of studded ice tyres, a perfectly balanced chassis, a low centre of gravity and awesome performance, the 612bhp mid-engined supercar is surprisingly right at home tearing across a frozen lake in the Arctic.

I’m allocated a McLaren Driver Coach who will guide me on my driving, giving advice and techniques when needed, first demonstrating how to tackle each circuit, then sitting calmly in the passenger seat while I attempt to replicate the feat. Former FIA Formula Two champion and film stunt driver Luciano Bacheta is my coach. He’s seemingly cool and unflappable as we make our way to the first circuit, a simple circle designed to teach drivers how to hold a slide.

For starters, you must forget almost everything you’ve ever been taught about driving on the road. Though it seems like it should be easy, the biggest challenge is getting the rear of the car to slide while stopping the front from sliding. The trick is to accelerate hard to gather some speed and get the rear wheels spinning, then by applying a dab to the brakes and with a flick of the steering wheel to unbalance the car, you should find yourself sideways. From there, it’s all about the small, balanced adjustments between the throttle to keep the rear wheels spinning and counter-steering into the slide, keeping traction through the front wheels and the car sideways.

After a while and only a few minor spins — if you don’t spin, you’re really not trying hard enough — I progress from the simpler oval circuits to more complicated race-track configurations with a mixture of hairpins and long, sweeping bends where the speeds are higher and the sense of satisfaction greater.

I can see why McLaren customers return each year to experience this.

Ideally, the car is hardly ever in a straight line as you slide like a pendulum from one corner to the next. If you remember to relax, always looking up for the next corner, keep breathing and, most importantly, enjoy the learning, when you do get it right the rewards are amazing, and you certainly become a better driver. I can see why McLaren customers return each year to experience this.

Time spent out of the car is amazing too. Jávri Lodge is a luxury boutique hotel within a traditional Finnish log cabin nestled in the silent white landscape. The lodge is beautifully decorated with 13 rooms and heated floors throughout and certainly feels more like a home than a hotel with an authentic Finnish sauna, swimming pool, gym, relaxing massages and roaring log fires to help you relax after an intense day of driving.

On our first evening, we eat around the communal dining table at Jávri Lodge and get to know our hosts and fellow drivers. The five-course menu reflects both seasonality and availability and is determined by the organic ingredients delivered by the local gatherers, fishermen, reindeer herders and hunters. On the second evening, we dine at Laanilan Kievari, a top-rated restaurant a short drive through the snowy wilderness, where we enjoy moose steak in red wine sauce, local mushrooms and organic vegetables. All accompanied by amazing wines in modest quantities of course.

On our final day, we embark on a dog-sledding tour, where we get to drive a team of huskies at speed through the snow, taking in the astonishing Lapland scenery. At night, if you’re lucky, you might even get to see the Northern Lights, but unfortunately, they remained elusive on this occasion. Visiting Lapland is a trip that would make most bucket-lists but add in the driving and it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

For more information on McLaren’s Experience programmes and to register for the 2024 Arctic Experience, visit cars.mclaren.com/en/