Triple Crown of Motorsport: has any driver won the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and Le Mans?

As has regularly been the case in recent years, the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula One and the Indy 500 are again being held on the same day in 2024, making Sunday 26 May - also Memorial Weekend - a day to remember for motorsport fans.

What is the Triple Crown of Motorsport?

The two races form part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, which groups together three of the most prestigious and long-standing motor races.

The Indianapolis 500-Mile race was first held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1911, with the event taking place every year since then, with the exception of 1917 and 1918, due to the First World War, and 1942 to 1945, because of the Second World War.

The 108th edition of the Indy 500 occurs on the same day as the 81st Monaco Grand Prix (first held in 1929), undoubtedly the most iconic race on the Formula One calendar. Held on a narrow course with tight corners and tunnels laid out on the streets of Monaco, it is the only Grand Prix which is exempt from F1′s minimum race distance regulations.

Completing the Triple Crown is the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an endurance race held each year near Le Mans in Northern France. For those not familiar with it, the event is won by the car that covers the furthest distance at Circuit de la Sarthe in 24 hours, making it different to the vast majority of motor races which have a fixed distance rather than time.

Fernando Alonso missing one leg of Triple Crown

With the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix usually taking place on the same day, there is relatively little scope for modern-day drivers to take part in both races, even in different years. Only moving from one motor sport to the other would make it a possibility, unless your name is Fernando Alonso.

The current Formula One star won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006 and 2007, followed by the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2019. The Spaniard has twice raced in the Indy 500 (2017 and 2020), the first time skipping Monaco to do so. He retired on his first visit to Indianapolis and finished 26th on his second, failing to qualify in 2019.

Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya, meanwhile, has won in Monaco (2003) and Indianapolis (2000 and 2015) but is missing a Le Mans victory.

Who is the only man to have completed the Triple Crown of Motorsport?

There is, however, one man who has completed the Triple Crown of Motorsport.

British driver Graham Hill is perhaps best known as two-time Formula One Drivers’ Champion (1962 and 1968), with five victories at the Monaco Grand Prix, second only to Ayrton Senna (six).

Hill, however, also won the 1966 edition of the Indy 500 and was victorious in Le Mans in 1972, the 10th and last time he competed in the race before his death in a place crash in 1975.

“Mr Monaco” and son Damon were the first father and son duo to win Formula One World Drivers’ Championships, with Hill Jr beating Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher to the title with Williams in 1996.