24h Le Mans
Following Fernando Alonso’s announcement of his bid to win the fabled Triple Crown of motorsport (Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula One World Champion title), we look back other big names who have marked the history of Le Mans, Indianapolis and also Monaco, the jewel of Formula One.
Five drivers have managed to take the double crown by winning both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix: Italian Tazio Nuvolari (Monaco 1932, Le Mans 1933), Frenchman Maurice Trintignant (Le Mans 1954, Monaco 1955 and 1958), New Zealand’s Bruce McLaren (Monaco 1962, Le Mans 1966), Brit Graham Hill (Monaco 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968 and 1969, Le Mans 1972) and Austrian Jochen Rindt (Le Mans 1965, Monaco 1970).
Only two drivers have triumphed at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500. American driver AJ Foyt is the only driver in the history of motorsport to take both accolades in the same season: on 30-31 May 1967, he claimed the third of his four Indianapolis victories in a race that stretched over two days because of the rain. On 11 June that year, he made his first — and last — appearance at Le Mans and got to savour victory with fellow American Dan Gurney in the Ford Mk IV. To boot, they became the first team in the race’s history to cover more than 5,000 km.
The only other driver to have achieved that double is Graham Hill, winner at Indianapolis in 1966 and in La Sarthe six years later, paired with Henri Pescarolo. Hill and Juan Pablo Montoya are the only drivers to have won both the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. Hill clinched victory in Indiana in 1966 and took the prize five times in Monaco between 1963 and 1969. Montoya boasts two Indy 500 wins (2000 and 2015) and one in Monaco (2003).
In 2014, Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who has already won the Monaco GP twice (2006-2007), become the only active driver to have given the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He now aims to emulate Graham Hill’s exploit and take the Triple Crown. On 28 May, he will line up at the start of the 101st Indianapolis 500 race... and racing fans everywhere are longing to see him at Le Mans sometime soon.
For more on Graham Hill at the 24 Hours of Le Mans:
Graham Hill and the Triple Crown (1) – A winless nine-year stretch at the 24 Hours
Graham Hill and the Triple Crown (2) - Le Mans 1972, the ultimate prize
Photo (ACO Archives): On 18 June 1966, just three weeks after his triumph at the 50th Indianapolis 500, Graham Hill was raring to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He sped off just seconds after this photograph, leaving some impressive tyre marks in his wake! Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to the chequered flag. Nonetheless, he returned to Le Mans for the final time in 1972... and went home with the winner’s trophy!
