AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
Takuma Sato, the first Japanese
driver to win the Indianapolis 500
in 2017, is making his mark on history once again by becoming the
107th face to adorn the Borg-Warner Trophy®
following his second Indy 500 victory in 2020. Sato's image on the
trophy was officially unveiled during a ceremony today at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, where it is kept permanently on
display. The Borg-Warner Trophy® Unveiling
Special was streamed for fans worldwide in celebration of the
100 Days Countdown to the 105th Running of the
Indianapolis 500 presented by
Gainbridge.
"The Borg-Warner Trophy is a revered tradition of the motorsport
community and BorgWarner is pleased to carry on its incredible
legacy," said Frédéric Lissalde, President and CEO, BorgWarner Inc.
"It is our honor to be a part of the unveiling of this year's
trophy, even more so following a tumultuous year that has taught us
much about perseverance. Takuma's hard work and dedication to his
sport is outstanding and on behalf of all of BorgWarner, we extend
our congratulations to him for his second badge of honor on this
trophy that represents the pinnacle of performance for open-wheel
racing."
Commissioned in 1935, the sterling silver trophy stands more
than 5 feet and 4 inches tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds,
honoring every winner since 1911 with their sculpted faces affixed
to the iconic trophy.
Crafting the life-like sculptures is a privilege that sculptor
William Behrends has undertaken
since 1990. Through a multi-phase process, he begins creating the
likeness of the drivers based on a series of 360-degree photos. He
then invites the winning driver, in this case Sato, for an
in-person session to produce a full-scale clay model of his face.
The life-size clay image is used as a reference when Behrends works
on the smaller model, which is created out of a mixture of
oil-based clays. The clay model is eventually turned into a mold
and then cast in wax, which is sent out to a jeweler to be
transformed into sterling silver. Behrends ends his process by
polishing and buffing the image before attaching it to the
Borg-Warner Trophy.
"I am thrilled to once again have my face become a permanent
fixture on the Borg-Warner Trophy," said Sato. "William's work is
extraordinary, and it is amazing how much detail he can fit into
the sterling silver sculptures. The effort he puts into making each
individual winners' personality and character is quite special and
it was an honor to experience this thorough and remarkable process
once again."
Fans cheered on Sato from the comfort of their own homes during
the 104th Indianapolis
500 in August 2020, following the
decision to not allow spectators to attend the race in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Sato drove for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,
averaging a speed of 157.824 mph and leading 27 of 200 laps of the
race.
Later this year, Sato will be receiving a BorgWarner
Championship Driver's Trophy, also known as a Baby Borg, which is a miniature replica of the
Borg-Warner Trophy that will feature a duplicate of his sterling
silver image. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will also receive a
memento commemorating the victory: the BorgWarner Championship Team
Owner's Trophy.
About BorgWarner
BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a
global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions
for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. Building on its
original equipment expertise, BorgWarner also brings market leading
product and service solutions to the global aftermarket. With
manufacturing and technical facilities in 96 locations in 24
countries, the company employs approximately 50,000 worldwide. For
more information, please visit borgwarner.com.
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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