Ahead of the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren unveiled a special “Triple Crown” design for their Formula 1 car, commemorating the team’s wins at the Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Considered the “Triple Crown” of motorsport, only one driver, and one team, has won in all three events. Graham Hill was the first—and remains the only—driver to win all three, doing so with a win at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, after five wins at Monaco and one Indy 500 win.
McLaren accomplished the feat as a team, beginning in 1974 when Johnny Rutherford won the Indianapolis 500. McLaren notched their first Monaco win in 1984 with Alain Prost, and the team secured victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 with JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya.
The much-anticipated announcement came on social media, as the team unveiled a design that pays homage to the three wins:
The black coloring on the front of the MCL60 honors the McLaren F1 GTR which won Le Mans in 1994. The white center represents the Marlboro sponsored MP4/2 which won the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. The orange on the rear does not only pay homage to the team’s original orange theme , but also honors the winning car at Indianapolis.
“Having achieved the greatest achievement in motorsport by completing the Triple Crown, we are proud to celebrate McLaren Racing’s rich history with a special twist at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown. “In line with our 60th anniversary celebrations and honoring the legacy of Bruce McLaren, this unique livery pays homage to the three wins that constitute the Triple Crown award.”
Team drivers are honored to be a part of the award.
“It is a privilege to be involved in the 60th anniversary celebrations of McLaren Racing and combining three iconic race-winning McLaren liveries into one for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix will be a special moment for the entire team,” said Lando Norris. “McLaren has an impressive record in Monte Carlo and to personally be on the podium at the 2021 race is a huge honour. We will be racing in a great looking car to celebrate Bruce McLaren and the team’s incredible legacy.”
“The Triple Crown livery looks amazing, and I couldn’t imagine a better way to experience my first Monaco Grand Prix as a Formula 1 Driver with McLaren Racing,” added Oscar Piastri. “Bruce McLaren was a winner in Monte Carlo in 1962 and the McLaren team has a rich history at the Monaco Grand Prix. I will feel so proud to line up on the grid in MCL60, carrying the same colors as the three Triple Crown winning race cars.”
As far as individual Triple Crowns, Hill remains the only driver to achieve the feat, although two drivers are only one win short. Juan Pablo Montoya is one such racer, with wins at Indianapolis and Monaco.
Another? Fernando Alonso. Alonso won in Monaco and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Alonso only needs an Indianapolis 500 victory to complete the individual Triple Crown. During the 2017 season, Alonso missed the Monaco Grand Prix to try and make it big in the Indianapolis 500.
Alonso started fifth, and even led for 27 laps, but a failed engine ended his chance at the Triple Crown.
“If we put aside the last 20 laps, which was a huge disappointment,” said Brown after the race, “if we think back to last month it was incredible. Fernando did not put the wrong wheels. [He] shows what a world class world champion he is today.”
Since then, Alonso has made two more attempts to win at Indianapolis, with his best finish of P21 in 2020. However, it is unclear whether Alonso will return to running for the Triple Crown. Speaking ahead of the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the veteran driver explained how he wasn’t sure if there was another attempt at Indianapolis. “But I don’t know if I will do it again or not. And if I don’t do it again, it’s not because other people say I can’t win it,” said Alonso. “You know, if I don’t do it anymore, it’s because I don’t feel the motivation to do it.”