Alex Palou Becomes 112th Addition to Borg-Warner Trophy® After 2025 Indianapolis 500 Victory

Rhea-AI Summary

BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA) announced the sterling silver likeness of Alex Palou has been affixed to the Borg-Warner Trophy®, marking him as the 112th face and the 76th different driver represented.

Palou, the four-time and defending IndyCar Series champion and the first Spanish winner of the Indianapolis 500, won the 2025 race on May 25, 2025. The trophy face was unveiled at Commission Row in Indianapolis on Nov 19, 2025 (the night before the Nov 20, 2025 announcement). Chip Ganassi earned his seventh Indy 500 win as owner. The summary also describes the multi-step sculpting and silver-casting process used to create each winner's face.

• Alex Palou's sculpted face is the 76^th different driver and 112^th overall to be affixed to the legendary trophy
• Palou is the first Spanish Indy 500 winner
• Seventh victory as owner for Chip Ganassi

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The sterling silver image of Alex Palou is now affixed to the Borg-Warner Trophy®, commemorating his victory in the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Palou's image on the trophy was unveiled yesterday evening at Commission Row in downtown Indianapolis as part of a ceremony hosted by Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). Palou, the four-time and defending IndyCar Series Champion who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, is the first Spaniard to win the Indy 500. The win marks team owner Chip Ganassi's seventh win as an owner, the second most wins by a team owner in IndyCar history.

"I'm honored to continue one of the greatest traditions in all of sports and unveil the latest addition to the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy," said Michelle Collins, Global Director, Marketing and Public Relations BorgWarner. "Alex's victory exemplifies that tenacity and constant commitment to excellence will result in success on and off the track. On behalf of everyone at BorgWarner, congratulations to Alex and the team at Chip Ganassi Racing."

William Behrends, the man behind the faces of the Borg-Warner Trophy for over three decades, once again tackled the feat of adding a new face to the trophy. Behrends begins his process of sculpting by examining a series of 360-degree photos of the winner's face and creating a life-size, clay sculpture. He then refines the sculpture during an in-person session with the winner at his studio in Tryon, North Carolina. The large model is then used as a reference to sculpt a smaller, oil-based clay version of the winner's likeness. Once complete, the small clay model is turned into a mold and cast in wax before it's sent to a jeweler where it is transformed into sterling silver. As the final step, the sterling silver face is polished and buffed before it's permanently attached to the trophy.

On May 25, 2025, over 240,000 fans at IMS cheered as Palou crossed the finish line ahead of American David Malukas in second place and Mexican Pato O'Ward in third place. This year in his sixth overall start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, Palou topped the 33-car field after finishing fifth (2024), fourth (2023), ninth (2022) and second (2021) in his previous four starts with Chip Ganassi Racing. His second-place finish was behind 4-time winner Helio Castroneves in 2021.

Early next year, Palou will receive his first Championship Driver's Trophy™ and Ganassi will receive his Championship Team Owner's Trophy, both of which are miniature versions of the Borg-Warner Trophy and affectionately referred to as Baby Borgs.

About BorgWarner
For more than 130 years, BorgWarner has been a transformative global product leader bringing successful mobility innovation to market. With a focus on sustainability, we're helping to build a cleaner, healthier, safer future for all. 

The Borg-Warner Trophy, BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy, and BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy are trademarks of BorgWarner Inc.

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SOURCE BorgWarner

FAQ

When was Alex Palou's face added to the Borg-Warner Trophy for BWA?

The sterling silver face was unveiled at Commission Row on Nov 19, 2025, announced Nov 20, 2025.

What does Alex Palou's addition to the Borg-Warner Trophy mean for BorgWarner (BWA)?

It continues BorgWarner's tradition of honoring Indy 500 winners and ties the BWA brand to the race's historic trophy.

Which milestone did Alex Palou achieve on the Borg-Warner Trophy noted by BWA?

Palou became the first Spanish winner on the Borg-Warner Trophy and the 112th face affixed overall.

How many Indy 500 wins does team owner Chip Ganassi have after Palou's victory?

Chip Ganassi recorded his seventh win as an Indy 500 owner.

When did Alex Palou win the 2025 Indianapolis 500 referenced by BWA?

Alex Palou won the race on May 25, 2025, finishing ahead of David Malukas and Pato O'Ward.