History has officially landed on Spanish soil. Four-time and reigning NTT IndyCar SERIES champion Alex Palou didn't just claim his first Indianapolis 500 victory on May 25 in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge—he wrote a completely new chapter for his home country by becoming the first Spaniard to cross the Yard of Bricks first in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Behind the wheel of the No. 10 DHL Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, the machine that carried him to glory, he secured a milestone that deserved an equally massive celebration.
Now, that celebration has crossed the Atlantic. Palou traveled with the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy to his native Spain, marking the very first time the legendary prize has ever visited the country. Originally designed in 1935, the stunning sterling silver beast stands more than 5 feet, 4¾ inches tall, weighs over 110 pounds, and carries the sculpted faces of every single Indianapolis 500 winner since 1911 alongside former IMS owner Tony Hulman.
When I was part of IndyCar, that’s what you dream. But no, never, I would have never thought that I’d be an IndyCar driver, but to be an Indy 500 winner and bring the Borg-Warner to Spain.
"Super special to have for the first time the Borg-Warner (Trophy) in Spain," Palou said. "Pretty cool that we made that happen and that I get to celebrate with the cities, the country, all the fans, my family, getting to special places with cool pictures that I’m going to have forever. Super rewarding. Very motivating for the future to try and do it again and get more of these opportunities and get this trophy here more often."
The whirlwind Spanish tour kicked off on Monday, Dec. 1, at the AS Sport Gala in Madrid. From there, the schedule was relentless. On Tuesday, Dec. 2, Palou visited the DHL Barcelona Town Halls, sat down for interviews with SPORT and Mundo Deportivo, and took in the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid, where the trophy was displayed in the President’s Box and a custom helmet was presented to the club. Wednesday, Dec. 3 brought more media obligations with Diari ARA and Catalunya Radio, a welcome reception and content taping at Movistar, and a photo shoot at the Plaza España Terrace of Palacio de Cibeles.
The media blitz rolled on Thursday, Dec. 4 with appearances on El Partidazo and El Larguero, Spain’s largest national sports radio programs, before wrapping up on Friday, Dec. 5 with interviews for Agencia EFE, El País, MARCA, and El Mundo. Transporting a piece of racing history weighing over 110 pounds overseas was no small feat, and the DHL stop was entirely by design. Beyond sponsoring Palou's car, the company provided the aircraft that safely flew the trophy across the ocean and back.
"It was an honor for us at DHL Express to deliver the Borg-Warner Trophy to Spain for the first time," said Richard Saavedra, SVP, Network Operations, DHL Express U.S. "As the international specialists, we were uniquely positioned to make it happen – and we were thrilled to help make history in Alex’s home country and create something truly special. Celebrating the Indianapolis 500 win and an incredible championship season with our employees and fans across Spain and here in the U.S. has been an absolute joy. And now, with an exciting 2026 season ahead, we’re proud to stand alongside the Chip Ganassi Racing team and look forward to achieving even more success together."
For a kid who grew up racing in Spain, the entire journey remains surreal. When asked if he ever imagined this as a child, Palou admitted it was beyond even the wildest dreams.
"No, absolutely not," Palou said. "When I was part of IndyCar, that’s what you dream. But no, never, I would have never thought that I’d be an IndyCar driver, but to be an Indy 500 winner and bring the Borg-Warner to Spain."
