The Monaco Grand Prix has always been the perfect occasion for teams to show off their one-off special liveries due to the high media attention that the race gets. McLaren is doing the same for the 2023 Monaco GP as they recently revealed their special livery for this year’s edition. It is a beautiful orange white and black combination that is inspired by the Triple Crown of Motorsports. But what exactly is the Triple Crown of Motorsports?
The Triple Crown of Motorsports is an unofficial accolade that is bestowed on drivers who have managed to make their mark across the three most prestigious races in the world of motorsports. To achieve the triple crown, a driver must win the Monaco GP in Formula 1, The Indianapolis 500, and the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Achieving a victory in any one of them is a legendary feat in itself. So therefore it can only be imagined how great a racing driver must be to have all three wins under their belt. The three races belong to three different disciplines and are extremely different from each other.
The Monaco Grand Prix is a very narrow street circuit race that requires extreme precision in order to avoid the narrow walls. The Indy 500, meanwhile, takes place on an oval racing track. Last but not least, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an endurance race.
Why does McLaren have the Triple Crown livery?
In the last 100 years of Motorsports history, only one driver has been able to achieve the triple crown. The legendary British racer Graham Hill is the only person who can claim to have this record under his belt.
Graham Hill won the Monaco GP five times, from 1963 to 1965 and then again in 1968 and 1969. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1966 and completed the set by winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1972.
In terms of constructors too, only one team has managed to claim the triple crown. McLaren can be the only team that can boast about this achievement.
They won the Indy 500 as a factory team with Johnny Rutherford as the driver. Alain Prost then won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1984 with McLaren. They finally managed to complete it by winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1995.
McLaren has therefore decided to commemorate this feat with a special Triple Crown livery at this year’s Monaco GP. They will also be running it at the Spanish GP next weekend.
The victory at Le Mans is being represented by the black nose of the car. It is the same color as that of the McLaren F1 GTR, the car them the race that year. The white part of the car is derived from Alain Prost’s white MP4/2 from the year 1984. To top it off, the orange part is a tribute to the Indy 500 winning car for McLaren.
Alternative definitions of the Triple Crown
An alternative definition of the triple crown is often put forward by fans. This definition replaces the Monaco GP with the F1 world championship. Graham Hill still remains the only driver to have won the triple crown even if this alternative definition is followed.
As Damon Hill said earlier this year, triple crown is the Indy 500, Le Mans 24 hours and FIA F1 World championship.
A total of 40 drivers have made their appearances in all of three events. Amongst them, 7 have been able to claim victories in two out of three events. This only makes it more clear why the Triple Crown is considered to be the greatest accolade a racer can earn.
