Editor’s Note: I apologize for being mostly absent the past two months. I had a brief hospital stay and I have made two trips to Florida to get winter headquarters ready to go on the market. I am currently in Florida, and will head home Saturday, hopefully for a longer stay.
From IMS:
| INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025) – 2025 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou unveiled his likeness on the Borg-Warner Trophy on Nov. 19 in Indianapolis, one of the most significant honors since he earned his first Indy 500 victory May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou, driving the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, earned the first oval victory of his career and became the first Spaniard to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He passed Marcus Ericsson on Lap 187 and never trailed thereafter, earning Chip Ganassi Racing’s sixth Indy 500 victory. The unveiling took place at The Above Event Center at Commission Row. Located in downtown Indianapolis, it is part of the Pacers Sports & Entertainment Complex known as Bicentennial Unity Plaza. Following the unveil, Palou attended the Indiana Pacers’ game with the Borg-Warner Trophy. It was a full-circle moment as he also attended an Indiana Pacers’ playoff game following his Indy 500 win. The bas-relief, sterling silver image of Palou is the 112th face to be affixed to the iconic trophy, awarded annually to the winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1936. “This is one of those days that I knew I wanted to be part of at some point in my career,” Palou said. “I knew it was going take a lot of work, and finally to be here and to get to see the trophy for the first time, it’s amazing. “I know that it’s always going to be there forever, if I race one more year or if I race 50 more years. And whatever the history of INDYCAR is going to be, it’s always going to be there. So, it’s great to be part of all those amazing drivers. And, yeah, I feel that now. I want to get that face again on that trophy. Try and be part again of the history of our sport.” Renowned sculptor Will Behrends created Palou’s image, as he has for every winner since 1990.Behrends begins his creative process by studying a series of 360-degree photos of the winner to get a baseline for sculpting. Palou then visited Behrends’ studio in Tryon, North Carolina, for an in-person session where Behrends constructed a full-scale clay model of the driver’s face.This life-size clay version is used as reference for Behrends to construct the smaller model, a piece created out of a mixture of oil-based clay. The smaller clay model is turned into a mold and cast in wax before being sent to a jeweler to be transformed into sterling silver. Behrends completes his process by polishing and buffing the sculpture before adhering it to the trophy. “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 at this beautiful venue,” 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.” Originally designed in 1935, the sterling silver trophy measures over 5 feet, 4-3/4 inches tall and weighs more than 110 pounds as it carries the sculpted face of every victor since 1911 and of former IMS owner Tony Hulman. Early next year, Palou will receive his BorgWarner Championships Driver’s Trophy, also known as a “Baby Borg,” a miniature replica of the large-scale Borg-Warner Trophy. Tickets for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are on sale at IMS.com. |
To my family, friends, teams, sponsors, and fans who have genuinely supported me for the last 30 years in motorsports, I want to thank you for allowing me the privilege to continue our family’s passion on the racetrack. I have had some really fun times behind the wheel in a lot of different types of racing cars — a lot of great memories as well, mostly at the Indy 500. Today, I am announcing my retirement from motor racing and the Indianapolis 500. That totals 20 starts at the Speedway, which I feel so fortunate to be able to say. That is ranked 12th all-time. Not bad for a 38-year-old. I am proud of my overall stats at the Indy 500. I had six very legitimate shots at victory with Andretti Autosport and ended up with 20% top-3 finishes at the Speedway. It feels accomplishing to me to be able to retire having more podium finishes than my father Michael and the same as my grandfather Mario at the biggest race in the world. I will never forget the rare circumstance of getting to race my dad in the closing laps for the win there — the pressure of participating in a dramatic Bump Day in 2011 to a pole position in 2020. That is what the Indianapolis 500 produces: extremes on both ends. That is why I love and appreciate it so much. I am very much at peace with the next chapter in my life after dedicating three decades to the sport. I will be prioritizing most of my time on being a great father to my daughter, Miura, and tending to my other business ventures. I am also coming out with a memoir about my life called “Defending the Dynasty.” Details coming soon on that. 2006–2025: Competing at the top level of North American motorsport is and has been an honor for me, even in the tough times. That is where I can look back and say I have made my best progress in life as a man. Learning to navigate very difficult dynamics at times, and others doubting me, made me realize that my opinion of myself is the one that should matter the most. Lastly, a special thank-you to a lot of the people I respect in motor racing for the kind words about my driving, work ethic, and true character. – MA 
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 