The trophies at this year’s Japanese Grand Prix are going to be lit, literally. The title sponsor of the race, Lenovo, asked Pininfarina of America to create trophies that will celebrate the podium finishers’ nationalities, activated by a kiss.
According to Pininfarina, the trophies are shaped like the air intake on an F1 car and embellished with a parametric pattern similar to the Lenovo logo.
Each trophy will be equipped with a touch-sensitive microswitch connected to a “complex array of LED lights.” The trophy will display the winner’s flag color combinations when they kiss the trophy. There will be a series of subtle light guides that will show the driver where to kiss the trophy to activate the display.
The required flags will be loaded onto the trophies just before the podium ceremony.
