Role reversal in the Arctic Circle: BMW DTM drivers teach luge world champion and Olympic bobsleigh champion the perfect drift on ice. Felix Loch, Steven Holcomb and co. receive instructions from DTM champion Tomczyk at the BMW Ice & Snow Perfection Training in Arjeplog.

Arjeplog. When it comes to ice and snow, nobody usually shows luge world champion Felix Loch (GER), Olympic bobsleigh champion Steven Holcomb (USA) or skeleton rider Anja Huber (GER) how it is done. At the BMW Ice & Snow Perfection Training in Sweden's Arctic Circle, however, the ice channel experts were in the role of students: during the three-day course in Lapland, DTM champion Martin Tomczyk (GER) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) showed their fellow sportsmen and women how to perfect the typical BMW “driving pleasure” at the limit in wintery conditions.

“It was absolutely fantastic to watch these top athletes,” said Robert Eichlinger, Head of Driver Training for the BMW Group. “You could sense how much fun everyone involved was having. The winter sportsmen and women gobbled up all the tips and suggestions given by the pros, and then put them into practice. You could tell how much Martin and Bruno were enjoying sharing their driving ability and taking their places behind the wheel in what was, even for them, an unusual situation. That is exactly what the BMW Snow & Ice Perfection Training is all about: the participants learn how to control and overcome extreme situations in wintery conditions – and in a unique atmosphere.”

The sportsmen and women were welcomed by Arjeplog's lady mayor Britta Flinkfeldt Jansson 60 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle on Monday, and spent their first evening discovering Swedish hospitality, as they prepared for the challenges of the coming days. On Tuesday they headed out into the snow for the first time. The specially prepared, expansive area of ice around the BMW Test Centre is usually used by the BMW Group's development engineers and test drivers to put new production models to the ultimate test. This time, however, it was all about ensuring the drivers were ready to take on the unique conditions at the wheel of the special, spiked BMW M3 “Ice Racer”.

“It is actually a real shame that we only race from spring through to autumn in the DTM. An ice race would be quite something,” said reigning DTM champion Tomczyk. “Even for us professionals it is not particularly easy to be both quick and safe on ice and snow. When you are used to it, however, it is quite simply great fun. I have to pay a huge compliment to the winters sportsmen and women: they did a great job in these challenging conditions, and made huge progress every time they went out there.”

The bob, luge and biathlon stars were in complete agreement. “It is amazing how much difference good training, a perfect car and a bit of experience on that kind of surface can make,” said world and European bobsleigh champion Manuel Machata (GER). “You gradually feel more secure and get an idea of how much more there is to a BMW on ice and snow than you would ever try out under normal circumstances. Martin and Bruno are big stars in the world of motor racing. Every one of their tips was worth its weight in gold.”

Arjeplog was also the scene of a reunion between the German bobsleigh athletes and Holcomb, who won gold in the two-man, four-man and mixed team bob at the World Championships in Lake Placid (USA) at the start of the year. “It was great to meet Manuel and the other guys outside of a competition,” said the Olympic four-man bob champion from Vancouver 2010. “We are fiercely competitive in the ice channel, but here everyone had enough on their plate just looking after themselves. We had a lot of fun together and learned a lot.”

As well as Machata and Holcomb, national luge coach Norbert Loch also took to the ice in Sweden. The BSD ladies were also well represented by Anja Huber (skeleton), Natalie Geisenberger (luge) and Cathleen Martini (bob). For biathlon star Sven Fischer, this was the second meeting with Martin Tomczyk within a matter of weeks: he gave the BMW works driver an introduction to his sport during the IBU Biathlon World Championships in Ruhpolding (GER).

Note to editorial teams:

Please find additional video, footage and audio material online at: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/bmw/53782/

You can also find copyright-free images for editorial purposes online at www.press.bmwgroup-sport.com