Ericsson, who scored Chip Ganassi Racing’s fifth victory in the event and its first for 10 years, won the 106th running of the Indy 500 after a breathtaking finish in which he held off Pato O’Ward’s Arrow McLaren SP entry in the charge for the twin checkers. Ericsson averaged 175.428mph over the 200-lap race and took home a record $3.1m in winnings.
Some 151 days later, 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. The former F1 driver is only the second Swede to win the event, 23 years after the first, Kenny Brack.
Michelle Collins, global director of marketing and public relations at BorgWarner Inc. declared: “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.
“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, sculptor of every face since 1990, 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, N.C.. 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."
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.
