Triple Crown of Motorsport
The Triple Crown of Motorsport is an unofficial motorsport achievement, often regarded as associated with the three most important achievements of a driver in motorsport, inspired by the triple crown of thoroughbred racing.
The earliest version of the Triple Crown requires that the driver wins the:
- Indianapolis 500 (first held in 1911)
- 24 Hours of Le Mans (first held in 1923)
- World Drivers' Championship of Formula One (first held in 1950)
However, under a more recent popular definition the World Drivers' Championship is replaced by the Monaco Grand Prix (first held in 1929).[1][2][3][4] Graham Hill is the only driver to have completed the Triple Crown in both its World Drivers' Championship and Monaco Grand Prix versions. Among currently active drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Juan-Pablo Montoya have won two of three events in one version of the crown, Villeneuve having won the 1995 Indianapolis 500 & 1997 World Drivers Championship and Montoya the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and 2003 Monaco Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso however is the only active driver to have won two of three events in both versions of the crown, having won the 2018 and 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 2005 and 2006 World Drivers Championships, and the 2006 and 2007 editions of the Monaco Grand Prix. The Indianapolis 500 and Monaco Grand Prix themselves have been parts of the World Drivers Championship during various periods: the Indy 500 from 1950 to 1960, and the Monaco Grand Prix from 1950 to present.
McLaren is the only racing team to have completed the Crown, along with several manufacturers whose equipment won the component races. Equivalent concepts also exist within specific disciplines of motor racing.
Other definitions
[edit]Endurance racing
[edit]Triple Crown in endurance racing features Le Mans and has added the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. This crown has been won by several drivers, namely A. J. Foyt, Hans Herrmann, Jackie Oliver, Al Holbert, Hurley Haywood, Mauro Baldi, Andy Wallace, Marco Werner and Timo Bernhard. Many drivers have come close to winning the crown with second-place finishes in the third event, such as Ken Miles (1966 24 Hours of Le Mans), Mario Andretti (Le Mans 1995) and Allan McNish (Daytona 2012).
IndyCar racing
[edit]In the period of 1971–1989, Indy car racing contested their own Triple Crown. From 1971 to 1980 it consisted of the three 500-mile events on the calendar: the Indianapolis 500, Pocono 500, and California 500. Ontario Motor Speedway was closed in 1980, and the California 500 was replaced with the Michigan 500. The triple crown continued through 1989, after which the Pocono race was discontinued. No driver won all three events during the 1980s.
The IndyCar Triple Crown was revived in 2013, with the 1971–80 format of the Indianapolis 500 (in May), Pocono 500 (in July - 400 miles the first year), and the MAVTV 500 (in October, held at Fontana). A $1 million bonus prize was offered for any driver to win all three races.[5]
For 2014, Pocono returned to the 500-mile format, Fontana was moved to the season ending race in August and all three events awarded double championship points. Since the California 500's return under IndyCar sanction, it has been a night race.
In 2015, Fontana moved to July, while Pocono was the penultimate race of the season in August. Fontana was removed from the IndyCar calendar after 2015, and Pocono was removed from the IndyCar calendar after 2019
Of all variations of the IndyCar Triple Crown, only six drivers have achieved the feat over their career, namely Bobby Unser, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Danny Sullivan and Rick Mears, with Al Unser the only one to achieve it in a single season, 1978.
NHRA
[edit]The term is often used during the season in the National Hot Rod Association to refer to its three most prestigious races, the Winternationals, the U.S. Nationals, and the Finals. The Winternationals is the event that kicks off the NHRA season, held during the second weekend in February, the U.S. Nationals is often called "The oldest, richest, and most prestigious race in the NHRA," and carries the largest purse of any event on the schedule, and the Auto Club Finals at Pomona are held to mark the end of the NHRA season.
Both the Winternationals, and the Auto Club Finals are held on the same track, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, while the U.S. Nationals has been held at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis since 1961 (prior to that, the race was held on a now demolished track in Detroit). By far, the person with the most Triple Crown wins in his division is 16-time funny car champion John Force.
American motorsport
[edit]A. J. Foyt and Mario Andretti are the only drivers to have won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Both drivers also won the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Foyt won four editions of the Indianapolis 500, and collected seven open-wheel titles and a 24 Hours of Le Mans win. Andretti won three editions of the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1969 Indianapolis 500, and also won four open-wheel titles, a Formula One world championship, and a class win and second overall finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Australian motorsport
[edit]In Australia, a driver is said to have achieved the "Triple Crown" if they win the Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000 and the Supercars Championship (formerly the Australian Touring Car Championship) in the same year.[6] Only two drivers have achieved this feat: Peter Brock in 1978 and 1980 and Craig Lowndes in 1996.
Japanese motorsport
[edit]The Japanese Triple Crown is achieved by winning titles in Japanese Formula 3, Super Formula, and Super GT. The only driver to have completed the feat is current Formula E driver Nick Cassidy.[7]
Active competitors who have completed two legs of the Triple Crown
[edit]As of May 2023[update], the only active drivers who have won two legs of the traditional Triple Crown are Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso. Both have won the Monaco Grand Prix (Montoya in 2003, Alonso in 2006 and 2007). Montoya won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2000 and 2015) while Alonso has two overall wins for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2018 and 2019). For the alternative Triple Crown, the only active drivers who have won two legs are Jacques Villeneuve and Fernando Alonso. Villeneuve won the Indianapolis 500 in 1995 and is the F1 World Champion for 1997. Alonso is the F1 World Champion for 2005 and 2006, along with winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in 2018 and 2019.
Villeneuve has competed in the leading class at Le Mans twice with Peugeot in 2007 and 2008, his car retiring with mechanical failure in 2007 and finishing runner-up a year later. Montoya has competed at Le Mans three times in 2018, 2020 and 2021, but only in the privateer LMP2 class which is not expected to challenge for an overall win. Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, competed at the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, 2019 and 2020, his best position being 21st in 2020.
List of Triple Crown winners
[edit]Individuals
[edit]Events which make up the traditional (Indy 500 / Le Mans 24hr / Monaco GP) and the alternative (Indy 500 / Le Mans 24hr / F1 WDC) definitions are included below.
| Driver | Indianapolis 500 winner | 24 Hours of Le Mans winner | Monaco Grand Prix winner | F1 World Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Graham Hill
|
1966 | 1972 | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969 | 1962, 1968 |
The drivers listed below have completed two of the three legs for either version of the Triple Crown.
| Driver | Indianapolis 500 winner | 24 Hours of Le Mans winner | Monaco Grand Prix winner | F1 World Champion | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tazio Nuvolari
|
— | 1933 | 1932 | —[a] | |
 Maurice Trintignant
|
— | 1954 | 1955, 1958 | — | |
| Mike Hawthorn
|
— | 1955 | — | 1958 | |
 Phil Hill
|
— | 1958, 1961, 1962 | — | 1961 | |
| A. J. Foyt
|
1961, 1964, 1967, 1977 | 1967 | — | — | |
 Bruce McLaren
|
— | 1966 | 1962 | — | |
| Jim Clark
|
1965 | — | — | 1963, 1965 | |
 Jochen Rindt
|
— | 1965 | 1970 | 1970 | |
| Mario Andretti
|
1969 | —[b] | — | 1978 | |
 Emerson Fittipaldi
|
1989, 1993 | — | — | 1972, 1974 | |
 Jacques Villeneuve
|
1995 | — | — | 1997 | [8] |
 Juan Pablo Montoya
|
2000, 2015 | —[c] | 2003 | — | |
 Fernando Alonso
|
— | 2018, 2019 | 2006, 2007 | 2005, 2006 |
Key: Active drivers are highlighted in bold.
Teams and manufacturers
[edit]Listed below are the teams and manufacturers to have completed the Triple Crown. Though the achievement is typically used to refer to an individual driver's achievements, some organisations have also been credited for their wins across multiple drivers.[9][10][11][12][13][14] As of 2024[update], only three entities have completed the Triple Crown:
- Mercedes completed the Triple Crown as both a chassis manufacturer and an engine manufacturer by winning the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- McLaren completed the Triple Crown as both a team[15][16][17][18][19] and chassis manufacturer by winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- Ford completed the Triple Crown only as an engine manufacturer by winning the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix.
Additionally, as an engine manufacturer only, Mercedes won the Indianapolis 500 in 1994, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989 and the Monaco Grand Prix in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
| Manufacturer | Indianapolis 500 winner | 24 Hours of Le Mans winner | Monaco Grand Prix winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren
|
1972, 1974, 1976 | 1995 | 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 |
 Mercedes
|
1915 | 1952 | 1935, 1936, 1937, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 |
| Ford
|
1965–1967, 1969–1971, 1995–1996 | 1966–1969, 1975, 1980 | 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1993, 1994 |
A pink background indicates a privately-run entry of a winning chassis manufacturer. A highlighting in bold indicates the Triple Crown completion.
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Formula One World Championship wasn't founded until 1950, after Nuvolari's career had ended.
- ^ Mario Andretti won the WSC category at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, but most sources only consider overall victory as being eligible for the Triple Crown.
- ^ Juan Pablo Montoya won the LMP2 Pro-Am category at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, but most sources only consider overall victory as being eligible for the Triple Crown.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Dan Knutson (2003-06-03). "Points Race Stays Tight; Montoya Joins Elite Company With Victory". Archived from the original on 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
- ^ Henri Boulanger. "Monaco Grand Prix Glitz Draws Rising Stars". IntakeInfo.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
- ^ "Why not a Grand Prix in Monte Carlo?". Gale Force of Monaco. Archived from the original on 2006-05-02. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
- ^ "Indy 500, Sunday May 27, 2007". Top Gear Magazine New Car Supplement 2007. BBC Worldwide. March 2007. p. 30.
- ^ "$1 million bonus awaits new Triple Crown winner". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ^ "A Red Hot Go". www.abc.net.au. March 5, 2007. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "After conquering Japan, what next for Nick Cassidy?". Motorsport.com. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Villeneuve's Triple Crown hopes over after missing Le Mans". RacingNews365. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ Lamonato, Michael (24 May 2023). "'Looks incredible': Oscar Piastri's rave review as McLaren unveils stunning new one-off F1 look". Fox Sports. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Kalinauckas, Alex (23 May 2023). "McLaren reveals 'Triple Crown' livery for Monaco and Spanish F1 races". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Smith, Luke (23 May 2023). "Touring the heritage center where McLaren brings racing champions back to life". The Athletic. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Laurence, Edmondson (23 May 2023). "McLaren reveals 'triple crown' livery for Monaco". ESPN.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Bonardel, Cécile (21 May 2015). "24 Hours of Le Mans 2015 – A tribute to McLaren's epic 1995 victory". 24h-lemans.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Gelinas, Gabriel (5 July 2011). "McLaren's MP4-12C precise, polished". Edmonton Journal. p. 46. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "McLaren's first Le Mans victory: 20 years on". McLaren. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
As well as the customer teams, Lanzante Motorsport was tasked with running a 'works' car
- ^ "What is the Triple Crown of Motorsport?". RacingNews365. 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
McLaren managed to clinch the Triple Crown of Motorsport as a team.
- ^ "What is the motorsport Triple Crown and who has claimed the feat?". Motorsport.com Australia. Motorsport Network. 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
From a racing team standpoint, McLaren is the only one to have accomplished the triple crown.
- ^ Williams-Smith, Jake (2020-06-18). "How McLaren won the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt". Motor Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ Cotton, Andrew (2023-06-07). "A Le Mans fairytale: 1995 victory for McLaren F1 that was never designed to race". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
McLaren set itself up to support the customers at Le Mans but the programme took an unlikely twist when a Japanese clinic, Ueno, wanted to back a car at Le Mans and none of the teams were able or willing to take it as their title sponsor. There was, says McLaren, no other option but to run its own car. This was a controversial move; for McLaren to compete against its own customers was not agreed and the customers were furious.