2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist got his first chance on Tuesday to see what his face will look like on the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy.
Rosenqvist became the latest driver to win the Indy 500 this past May, and he did so in dramatic fashion.
After running most of the final lap outside of his Meyer Shank Racing team-mate while battling for second, the Swede got a run out of Turn 4 and inched ahead of David Malukas past the line.
Rosenqvist’s 0.0233 second margin of victory was the closest in Indy 500 history, and instantly propelled his name into the record books.
Among the many accolades a driver gets for winning the biggest race of the year, perhaps the biggest honor is having his face permanently added to the Borg-Warner Trophy.
The process starts with sculptor Will Behrends creating a life-size clay likeness of the driver, which Rosenqvist was able to see for himself this week.
“Wow, there it is,” said Rosenqvist upon looking at himself in clay. “Oh you got the beard as well. You got the scruff.
“I’m going to live forever! A little smile. It’s great!”
After making adjustments to the likeness with Rosenqvist present, Behrends will begin the process of recreating the face in a smaller size and then ultimately casting it in silver.
The final version of Rosenqvist’s face and his race-winning speed will be attached to the 110-pound trophy alongside every other winner of the famous race.
Rosenqvist will look to defend his record on May 30, 2027, although he will be doing so with a different team.
Using the value gained from winning the Indy 500, Rosenqvist was able to negotiate a contract with Arrow McLaren starting next season.
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