BorgWarner Announces Latest Addition to the Borg-Warner Trophy®: 2022 Indianapolis 500 Winner Marcus Ericsson
Marcus Ericsson has solidified his place in BorgWarner history by becoming the 109th face to be affixed to the Borg-Warner Trophy following his victory at the 106th Indianapolis 500. Ericsson's sterling silver image was officially unveiled during a ceremony at Union 50 in downtown Indianapolis as part of a special event hosted by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ericsson, a Sweden native, will join the exclusive ranks of the victors who came before him as he captured his first Indy 500 victory.
2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson’s image is permanently affixed to the Borg-Warner Trophy, along with his name, winning year and average speed.
"The Borg-Warner Trophy represents much more than just a victory on the racetrack, it symbolizes the great tradition of the Indy 500 and honoring the driver for their triumph while paying homage to the champions of the past," said Michelle Collins, Global Director, Marketing and Public Relations BorgWarner. "It is our honor to add Marcus' image to the trophy and, together as a company, congratulate him on his countless hours of work and dedication to his craft."
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. Following the unveiling in Indianapolis, the trophy will travel to Ericsson's home country of Sweden to celebrate his victory on the racetrack.
William Behrends, the sculptor behind the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy faces, begins his creative process by studying a series of 360-degree photos of the winner to get a baseline for sculpting. Winners are then invited to an in-person session where Behrends constructs a full-scale clay model of the driver's face in his studio in Tryon, North Carolina. 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 casted 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 truly honored to have my face sculpted onto the historic Borg-Warner Trophy as an Indianapolis 500 winner," said Ericsson. "It was an incredible experience to work with Will Behrends and see his dedication and artistry firsthand. Will has done a marvelous job. Today is a very special day for me, as well as everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing. Joining all the previous winners on the trophy is something I'll always be very proud of and will never forget."
On Memorial Day weekend, under sunny skies and full grandstands, over 200,000 spectators watched Ericsson, who started fifth of 33 drivers, patiently bide his time and take the lead for good with 11 laps remaining to win his first Indy 500. While his first Indy 500 victory, it was the second time a driver from Sweden won, with countryman Kenny Brack taking top honors back in 1999. Ericsson averaged 175.428 mph for the 200 lap race and took home a record $3.1 million in winnings, keeping runner-up Pato O'Ward of Mexico and third place finisher, 2013 Indy 500 winner and teammate Tony Kanaan of Brazil at bay. His victory marks the fifth Indy 500 win for Chip Ganassi Racing since 2000, with previous winners Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Scott Dixon (2008) and Dario Franchitti (2010 & 2012).
Early next year, Ericsson will receive his BorgWarner Championships Driver's Trophy, also known as the Baby Borg, a miniature replica of the large-scale Borg-Warner Trophy.
About BorgWarner
For more than 130 years, BorgWarner has been a transformative global product leader bringing successful mobility innovation to market. Today, we're accelerating the world's transition to eMobility — to help 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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