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 Chip Ganassi Racing DHL 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 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.
(Audi images)
The Audi R26 Concept provides a preview of the color scheme and design of the brand’s first Formula 1 race car, which will be unveiled in January. This visual identity is based on Audi's recently introduced design philosophy and its four design principles: clear, technical, intelligent and emotional. “We are implementing a unifying design language that draws together every aspect of our organization,” says Audi Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella. “This makes the Formula 1 project a pioneer for the new brand identity, which will be rolled out in the future both for the F1 team and Audi as a whole.”
The R26 Concept is one of the first expressions of the brand’s new visual identity. Minimalist graphic surfaces, defined by precise geometric cuts, integrate seamlessly with the racing car’s geometry. The color palette features titanium, carbon black and the newly introduced Audi red. As part of this identity, Audi will also sport red rings, used selectively to underscore its presence in F1. Editor-in-Chief's Note: It's also just as ugly as the current crop of Formula 1 cars. Congratulations. -PMD
The future Audi F1 team will make its full public debut at the official team launch in January 2026. Shortly thereafter, the first official test drives with the new-generation Formula 1 cars will take place - privately - at the end of January at Barcelona, Spain. During further tests in Bahrain (February 11-13 and February 18-20), the Audi factory team will test its new Formula 1 car in front of the public for the first time, before the brand makes its F1 debut in Melbourne (Australia) March 6-8.
Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG
Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG