Alex Palou’s likeness has been added to the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy, with the addition being revealed at a ceremony Wednesday afternoon.
Separate from the Astor Cup, which is awarded to IndyCar’s championship-winning driver and was also claimed by Palou this season, the Borg-Warner Trophy is presented in celebration for winning the Indianapolis 500.
The sterling silver trophy is massive, coming in at over five feet tall and weighing approximately 80 pounds.
Every champion of the Indianapolis 500 has a sculpture of their face added to the famous trophy, meaning Palou’s face now joins a legacy of IndyCar greats in honor of his win this past May.
“It’s crazy to see my face there,” said Palou when his silvered likeness was revealed. “I see that Will [Behrends] added some hair, as I asked,” he added jokingly.
“It’s a privilege to have my face here. It’s one of those dreams that you have as a kid and you never know if it’s going to be possible or not.
“It’s unique to this sport, for this race, for this event that forever my face is going to be there. If the sport continues for 50 or 250 years, it’s always going to be there.
“And I cannot really believe it. It’s amazing to have it there.”
Master sculptor Will Behrends created Palou’s likeness out of clay, then the facsimile was shrunken down to the appropriate size and cast in silver.
Also etched into the trophy alongside Palou’s face is the 168.883 MPH figure, which records the 28-year-old’s average speed for the 109th running of the famous 500 mile event.
Palou does not get to keep the large trophy, but rather was presented with a smaller 20-inch tall trophy that also commemorates his achievement.
The Borg-Warner Trophy itself travels to many different events throughout the year and often resides in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which sits inside the IMS facility.
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