What is the motorsport triple crown and who has claimed the feat?

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That is where the motorsport triple crown comes in, as it can only be awarded to a driver who has achieved success across different racing disciplines.

So, what is the triple crown and who has claimed this feat?

What is the motorsport triple crown?

The triple crown consists of three races, each one showcasing a driver’s skill in a different racing discipline. It includes the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Monaco Grand Prix. These are generally regarded as the three most prestigious races in motorsport and typically take place every year from the end of May to beginning of June, though the triple crown is an unofficial title meaning no trophy gets awarded.

The Indy 500 is the oldest of the three races, as drivers first tackled 500 miles of Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1911, 12 years before the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Monaco GP is the newest of the three races, as the principality first hosted its now-famous race in 1929 when William Grove-Williams won in his Bugatti.

The triple crown is a notoriously difficult feat to achieve, partly due to the fact that the races form part of different series and racing disciplines. The Indy 500 is part of the IndyCar season, Le Mans is a round of the World Endurance Championship (and before that the World Sportscar Championship amongst others), while Monaco is a mainstay on the F1 calendar.

But this wasn’t always the case. The Indy 500 found its way onto the F1 calendar in the 1950s, yet participation was limited as many non-American drivers and manufacturers opted against travelling to the US with the race being run to different regulations.

That’s why – to this day – Graham Hill is the only racing driver in history to have accomplished the much-revered triple crown. Hill took his first of five Monaco GP victories in 1963 and won the Indy 500 in 1966 at his first time of trying.

Le Mans proved trickier for Hill to master. He entered the endurance race every year from 1958 to 1966 and his best result during that period was second in 1964 – he retired from the race on six other occasions.

It was only in 1972, at his final time of trying, that Hill emerged victorious. Hill joined the Matra sports car team at a time when his F1 career was drawing to a close, racing alongside Henri Pescarolo. The duo won the race by an impressive 11-lap margin over the team’s sister-car.

From a racing team standpoint, McLaren is the only one to have…