End of Andros Trophy Ice Racing in Andorra After 30 Years

Pep Besolí, who brought the Andros Trophy to Andorra, recalls that the event would have marked its 30th edition this year at the Pas de la Casa circuit, but the title sponsor Andros withdrew its support in 2024.

The trophy originated in France on 27 January 1990 as a snow and ice racing championship, initially limited to French soil. In May 1991, one of its promoters, Alain Froment, visited the Canillo hill climb and discussed with Besolí the idea of hosting a round in the Pyrenees. Efforts soon followed to secure Andorra as the venue for what Besolí calls the "Formula 1 on ice."

The Pas de la Casa autodrome, the world's highest permanent circuit, opened in 1994 specifically for the event. Funded mainly by BBF Management—a company formed by the Besolí brothers and Froment—little institutional backing emerged beyond Encamp parish. The inaugural Andorran round, originally set for 17 December 1994, was postponed due to lack of snow and nearly cancelled by heavy mid-January snowfall that closed the French border, blocking team trucks. It proceeded anyway with 70 drivers and around 40 cars, proving a success despite weather challenges that complicated every edition.

Over the years, the trophy became a motorsport landmark, drawing top international brands and drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve, and Sébastien Loeb. Besolí notes it filled the Pas de la Casa area with tourists, complementing the ski season, and garnered major French TV coverage during its first decade.

The final event there took place in December 2023. Recent attempts to revive a similar competition have faltered, with no one stepping forward to take it on. Besolí cherishes the era, describing it as a labour of love among friends who invested "blood, sweat, and tears," despite financial losses in tough years. He says he would do it all again.