Fernando Alonso, IndyCar, Barber Motorsports Park, 2018

Is Alonso now seeking a unique ‘Triple Crown of Championships’?

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Last year Fernando Alonso stunned the motor racing world by announcing he would skip the Monaco Grand Prix to take part in the Indianapolis 500.

“I’ve won the Monaco Grand Prix twice,” Alonso explained, “and it’s one of my ambitions to win the Triple Crown, which has been achieved by only one driver in the history of motorsport: Graham Hill.”

Alonso’s desire to complete the motorsport Triple Crown by adding the Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours to his Monaco Grand Prix success caught many by surprise. But perhaps it shouldn’t have: He revealed his desire to win the Triple Crown before 2017.

His victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe this year with Toyota team mates Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima means Alonso is now two-thirds of the way towards emulating Hill. Yesterday he sampled an IndyCar on a road course for the first time amid growing rumours he will take on the championship next year.

But if Alonso’s goal is just to win the Triple Crown, he doesn’t need to commit to a full season of IndyCar. His one-off appearance at Indianapolis last year proved he doesn’t need to contest the full 17-race 2019 IndyCar calendar to have a chance of winning at the Brickyard. At his first attempt he qualified fifth in a field of 33, led 27 out of 200 laps (the third-highest of any driver) and was still in contention for victory when his engine went pop.

Perhaps Alonso has again hinted at his future intentions in a comment which has been largely overlooked. Asked on Thursday during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend about his desire to become the second driver after Hill to win the Triple Crown, Alonso said: “I am more interested to be the first man in history. There are more challenges.”

Alonso explained his desire is to prove himself “the best driver in the world.” He said he is “studying the possibilities” of what he could do. “If I do something, probably I will try do something that has been never done.”

Sebastien Buemi, Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima, Toyota, Spa-Francorchamps, WEC, 2018
Alonso is on course for the WEC title
Let your imagination run wild with what those possibilities could be. Perhaps he wants to pick-‘n’-mix his own quadruple/quintuple/sextuple crown by taking a tour of the world’s other great races: the Bathurst 1000, Daytona 500 and the British Lawn Mower Racing Association’s 12 Hours of Five Oaks.

Or perhaps this tells us why he is considering a full season of IndyCar: He wants to be the first driver ever to win a Triple Crown of Championships.

He’s already a two-times Formula 1 world champion. He is in a strong position to win the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship: leading the points after three rounds with a dominant car underneath him which has won all three races this year on the road (and was disqualified at Silverstone on a technicality).

Adding the IndyCar championship to that would be a unique achievement and would give Alonso a strong claim to be considered the greatest driver of his time.

“To be the best driver in the world I have to either win eight world championships and have one more than Michael Schumacher, which is unlikely at the moment, or [win] in different series,” he said last year.

“I remember when I was a kid the best drivers were in the best cars in the best championships in the world. So that was an ambition for me.”

Is that ambition driving him towards a full-time IndyCar entry next year in pursuit of a unique triple of championship titles?

Quotes: Dieter Rencken

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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68 comments on “Is Alonso now seeking a unique ‘Triple Crown of Championships’?”

  1. His wec championship will be well deserved in a car that is more than a second faster than the next highest team

    And with team orders that will always ensure a car swap for his car to win

    What a tough win with serious competition he overcame

    1. What about Hamilton’s first few titles with Mercedes?
      What about half of Schumacher’s titles?

      What about all the times Alonso drove with the skill and flawlessness of a machines, just to come up short because his car was just too weak compared to the competition?

      Racing is a game of chance, as much as it is a game of skill, and sometimes, despite your best efforts you will come up short. All you can do is give it all you got, and hope that the others on your team will bring their A game as well, and one thing that no one can take away from Alonso, is that he always gave it all.

      1. One thing is to have a superior car. Another thing is to drive alone in your category: Toyota is the only hybrid LMP1 this year. But I have to concede, after a career being of… questionable choices, Nando nailed the one to race this year in WEC.

        1. He and his co-pilots still have to outrace their sister car.

          In 2014 and 2015 (even 2016), Mercedes F1 Team were basically their own category. During a period where the engine freeze barely allowed other manufacturers to catch-up. Still it does not detract from Hamilton’s title wins in 2014-2015, and Rosberg’s in 2016.

          But, good point. Good karma for the Spaniard for once, being in the right car at the right time (not since 2007)!

        2. @m-bagattini

          Why offend the other 3 Toyota drivers? They were bigger competition to Alonso and his crew than any of Schumacher’s team mates were to him. Or Hamilton’s now.

          1. @bigjoe Why offend them? Because he probably doesn’t know them at all. Because all he cares about is to undermine Alonso… likely over some petty incident in F1. Because that’s how some fans are.

            No, the reality is that winning in WEC for Alonso is more competitive than Hamilton winning in F1 in 2014 and 2015. Because Alonso is a rookie in WEC and his competition is not only experienced, they are also very fast. Also, the ‘endurance’ nature of WEC creates a lot more opportunity for something to go wrong.

      2. Well said well said

    2. Like the best drivers down through the ages, he is in the best car because he has proven himself as one of the best drivers. Rather churlish to suggest that he won’t deserve a WEC win.

      1. Are you talking about the Toyota or the McLaren?

    3. Similar situation to Schumacher in the Ferrari, he had a car so much faster than anyone else, even his own teammate at certain points as new developments always favored him. Then when he was beaten by his teammate the positions were reversed to benefit him. At least 2 or 3 of his World Championships years were like this. So why cant Alonso benefit from the same treatment?

      1. The difference is Schumacher toiled for 5 years in useless cars. Alonso chose to compete in the WEC rather than go for the Indy 500 this year, knowing that he would be in the fastest car with no competition. He knew this was a chance he’d probably never get again so jumped at it for an easy championship with no negatives (ie years developing a car and team around him)

      2. So, you say 2-3 champs of M.Schumacher are down to his team mate(s)… or am I wrong?! If so, in my opinion you’re wrong, confusing more like 2-3 races with 2-3 titles. There’re few moments indeed, just to be sure they max every opportunity in getting the WDC… ’cause nobody knows what future brings… 2002 Austria being the most famous, other than that I think Schumacher won fair his champs against his team mates. Now, that his team mates weren’t really top drivers, that’s another story. Having a look at those years when they didn’t have top cars, might clarify some stuff, that actually Schumacher’s lieutenants weren’t quite in another league of “help” compared to RAI. 2005, for example, 3rd best car: Schumacher finishes 3rd in the WDC, Barrichello finishes 8th… and Schumacher has 3 times more DNFs compared to BAR (6 vs 2)!!

    4. For people such as yourself that can’t acknowledge a great achievement when its you on the head, perhaps Alonso will continue in the WEC and win Le Mans when P1 is replaced by the hypercar class? By then he would be a multiple Le Mans winner, and hopefully that will put that to bed.

    5. He’s worked his entire career to acquire the invitation to sit in that superior car.

      Therefore, I have little doubt he deserves every win and title it gives him.

      1. Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
        6th September 2018, 17:36

        Fair point

    6. He won’t have the luxury of a totally dominant car in IndyCar. He’ll have to earn the championship with his driving skills.

  2. Ooh, Alonso in the lawn mower championship would be quite a sight.
    On a serious note, who has come closest to winning the triple championship before? Mansell?

    1. Jacques Villeneuve won the Indy 500, not to mention the CART Championship, he’s a F1 WDC, and he came a close second in a Peugeot at Lemans. The two Championships and the 500 win puts JV aside Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi as the only three who have achieved those things.

      1. @robbie, the problem comes because the definition of what the “Triple Crown” is has always been rather vague, and there are at least two different definitions – one where the victory has to come at the Monaco GP, and one where it is the World Drivers Championship.

        In some ways, the former definition is a more modern take given that the Monaco GP wasn’t originally thought of as being the most prestigious Grand Prix either – the French Grand Prix was originally the more prestigious race, and only in later years did the focus shift to Monaco (some might cynically suggest that was mainly around the time that the wealth went there too).

        If, as some others have suggested, it should go to the longest running and oldest Grand Prix on the calendar, then the British and Italian Grand Prix, both pre-dating Monaco and being the only two races on the calendar which have been continuously held (the Monaco GP was dropped from the calendar for part of the 1950s), could stake a claim to that honour. The French Grand Prix could also stake a claim in terms of being the oldest event too, albeit having been discontinued for a number of years in more recent times before the revival of the race this season.

        1. Imho there is nothing vague about the definition of Triple Crown as the official definition is about the three most prestigious events.
          So it seems strange to include a World Championship with two stand alone events.

      1. @m-bagattini

        Looking at the table, seems like winning winning just 2/3–especially Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 is itself an achievement.!!
        Only two have done it–Anthony Foyt and Graham Hill.

  3. My guess is he will first aim the ‘classic’ triple crown by winning Indy 500 with a Chevrolet engine (I understood it was the favourite for this race specifically) and at the same time have a go at winning the WEC championship, sacrificing 2019 Indy races for the WEC ones. Then focus solely on 2020 Indycar season whether he won 2018 Indy 500 or not. And in the meantime, keep an eye on F1 if by miracle a winning car is freed.

    1. @spoutnik In the ‘Alonso to test IndyCar at Barber’ article from yesterday it states that now that the 2019 IndyCar schedule has been released there is no conflict with the three races FA is contracted to run in WEC next year.

      1. @robbie even better, missed that, thanks!

      2. Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
        6th September 2018, 17:38

        Quelle suprise

    2. at the same time have a go at winning the WEC championship, sacrificing 2019 Indy races for the WEC ones

      None of the 2018-19 WEC races clash with the 2019 IndyCar calendar, so assuming he wins WEC at his first attempt (and I wouldn’t bet against that at this stage), he shouldn’t need to do this.

  4. I think you are bang on the nose with your pick-‘n’-mix theory, @keithcollantine! I think he’s going to mix championships with famous single races.

  5. At this point it is hard to imagine FA won’t be in IndyCar full time next year.

  6. He would still be in F1 if he was not crybaby. That’s why top teams don’t want him to play. Cause if it don’t go his way he crys. If he had not been such the top teams wood hav snapped him up.

    1. Go back to Autosport forums.

    2. There are only 2 top teams and their lead drivers are afraid of him.
      If Hamilton or Vettel decided to step out of F1, one of those 2 top teams would be knocking his door down.
      Quite frankly, I think Alonso is glad to get out of the bureaucratic, back stabbing farce.

      1. HAM already beat ALO in his rookie season, why would he be afraid of him. Alonso couldn’t handle Hamilton that he went back to an uncomptetitive Renault. Nice headcannon you got there.

        1. Sorry mate both got 109 points so no one beat no one

        2. Why is someone still talking this nonsense? You mean the year that Ham and Ron cheated the promise to Alo. Then Alo made a little revenge then lost almost all the support for the rest of the season and still almost won the WDC?

        3. No one denied Ham is fast and talented. But you don’t have to prove it by dissing Alo. Gee!

  7. Sebastian Loeb has won WRC title 9 times and all those were consecutive titles a record which no one can claim even Agostini has a gap of 1 year between his 8th and 9th MotoGP 500cc title.

  8. “All men dream, but not equally.
    Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” T.E. LAWRENCE

    Go Fernando – be dangerous ;)

  9. Good luck with that id!ot – wouldn’t touch him or even let him be close to my teams pitstop… He is the opposite of a teamplayer..

    1. Do you mean FA? I think you’ll find a different FA from the one you so nicely describe. It is a different atmosphere, and while for sure IndyCar is not immune to some politics, I think that pales to F1. FA won’t need to be the version of him you encapsulate in your mind. He hasn’t liked how he has felt about a lot of aspects of the challenge in F1 for several years, and by his own account new challenges are in his future, and I doubt he would feel anything but rested by the change that is as good as.

  10. I want to see him be the first driver to win both the 24 hours of Le Mans and the 24 hours of Lemons:
    https://24hoursoflemons.com/

    1. He can be quite sour ;)

      1. Dammit, erikje, you squeezed out the comment I was going to make.

  11. That’s what’s left for him after all. Nice career record, though.

    “I remember when I was a kid the best drivers were in the best cars in the best championships in the world. So that was an ambition for me.”

    Thing is, in the past, the best drivers competed in the best championships. Not anymore.

    He may achieve whatever he pleases to convince himself and his sect of anything. But in the end, what remains is that he was unable to defeat Hamilton and Vettel, the best drivers, when he had capable cars.

    1. @niefer

      As well as beating Schumacher Alonso will be remembered for regularly beating Hamilton and Vettel in incapable teams often in cars that were never getting anywhere near pole.
      The first time I heard Martin Brundle wax lyrical about Alonso was after he beat Hamilton 7 times in 2008 erasing the doubts left after several unfortunate events in 2007. 2008 was the start of McLaren’s downfall and despite the snide remarks, lies and blame games being played, Ferrari didn’t see any faults in him as they started talks.

      The atmosphere of watching and reading about F1 was totally soured by you fans who couldn’t enjoy Alonso’s battles with drivers who eventually won the title in superior cars.

      1. @bigjoe
        First things first, to enjoy his drive doesn’t mean that I must worship him. He’s a top class driver, not the best though.

        Now, the only thing he regularly did was to moan about Newey. Then, he moaned about Ferrari. Then, about Honda. Finally, about F1. For me, he will be remembered for regularly being a sore loser.

        beating Hamilton and Vettel in incapable teams often in cars that were never getting anywhere near pole.

        Wow, Ricciardo must be a god then, right?
        Every WDC dispute Fernando entered, he had a championship car. Including bulletproof ones, like in 2012, which had great race pace.
        Now think on how many WDCs Prost has under his belt without locking pole position more often than the contender and see if those “prowess” by Fernando mean anything regarding greatness.

        after he beat Hamilton 7 times in 2008

        Where’s the context? Were all of them on pure pace? At least cut off the scam that was Singapore.

        Dude, you may bring in whatever you like, but what matters is the WDC battle: everytime he had a championship car against VET/HAM, he managed to lose.

        2008 was the start of McLaren’s downfall and despite the snide remarks, lies and blame games being played, Ferrari didn’t see any faults in him as they started talks.

        The downfall of McL started with the Spygate, 2007. Ferrari saw in him his qualities as a driver, that’s all. Fernando was at the peak of his abilities. Still, managed to lose to a couple of fast kids.

        Profitting over Raikkonen’s and Schumacher’s misfortunes with their cars to win made him a champion with a superior car. Would you say MSC and young RAI were better drivers? Careful, you may lose the fanclub’s membership card.

        The atmosphere of watching and reading about F1 was totally soured by you fans who couldn’t enjoy Alonso’s battles with drivers who eventually won the title in superior cars.

        Yeah, talk about Petrov…

        1. @niefer

          Wow, Ricciardo must be a god then, right?

          Yes he is and the most mature and honest driver. A fans favourite in an era that so-called fans like you take offense at anything, e.g in your mind Alonso is the only one who ‘moans’ . Contributing to sanitize the sport. So a real shame Lewis and Seb refused to take Riccairdo on as a team mate then. That would have been a bit like Alonso refusing to take on Button and Raikonnen only they were already world champions not up and coming ones.

          At least cut off the scam that was Singapore

          No. There was a later safety car that put Hamilton and Vettel right behind Alonso and he pulled away from them with 75 less horsepower. You could watch his style at Singapore or better still Hungary 2006 and explain how that race craft doesn’t place him right amongst the ‘best’.

          Profitting over Raikkonen’s and Schumacher’s misfortunes with their cars to win made him a champion with a superior car.

          Ahh, ok. A Schumacher fan. That explains the bitterness perfectly.
          I’ll have to take it you were too young then to have actually watched the 2006 season and see Alonso’s wheel fall off in a raceprior to Schumacher’s engine blowing, which many believed could have been forced anyway with Alonso already catching him at several tenths a second and plenty left to overtake him. Incidently the 2006 Hungary GP has been touted as the best wet weather drive of all time, involving a superb battle and defeat of Schumacher until Alonso’s wheel fell off, an incident that not many Schumacher fan accepts actually happend.
          If you think Alonso had the superior car in 2005 and 2006 you’re deluded. The first half of 2005 at a push.

          Ferrari saw in him his qualities as a driver, that’s all

          Their massive mistake obviously.

          ” he makes things smooth because he is coming with a pure and genuine motivation. It’s remarkably easy so far.”
          “I believe Fernando has been able to add a lot to the team, partly because of his experience, but especially because of his personality.
          “He’s 100 percent professional, easy-going and open. It gives the engineers and the mechanics an extra boost, extra motivation. I think we can be very happy that he chose to race with us. In hindsight it’s been a very good move.”

          -Toyota technical director Pascal Vasselon

          There are too many quotes from the Americans at Indy praising is character within the team so I’ll spare you those.

          Still, managed to lose to a couple of fast kids.

          Ahh, ok then I guess you win. I see what this is about now. No point continuing.

          1. *The first half of 2006 at a push.

          2. @bigjoe Be my guest. But let’s just straight some things up.

            My “bitterness” is solely because of The Cult of Nando. The guy is the most overrated champ there is. His sect always comes demeaning feats of others, carrying loads of excuses for Nando’s losses and failures. Everyday we get to hear nonsenses like with him everything would be better, that he would certainly win a race/WDC he wasn’t supposed to. Well, he had those chances, and blew all of them. He actually blew two chances he was supposed to win. So, I’m fed up of that small talks. Excuse me if I seem bitter.

            Your acceptance of the overhyping of Danny Ric just shows how delusional you are as a “fan”. The guy hasn’t proved anything yet as a WDC contender. Yes, he can win races, but right now, he’s just an eager top driver who hasn’t had a shot to show what he’s got. Until then, one can only wonder.

            No. There was a later safety car that put Hamilton and Vettel right behind Alonso and he pulled away from them with 75 less horsepower.

            Once in the lead on a track like that, it doesn’t take a genius to understand what happened. But the crux of it is, he wasn’t supposed to be there and only got there because of the scam. And by the way, even Maldonado pulled away from Alonso once, in a far superior Ferrari (can I say that, or the Williams was a better car just as every single competitor Alonso had?), and I don’t see anyone making a case for his abilities.

            You could watch his style at Singapore or better still Hungary 2006 and explain how that race craft doesn’t place him right amongst the ‘best’.

            You conveniently forgets to account the blatant struggle every Bridgestone had compared to the equilibrium every Michelin had under the rain. That said, Alonso has a great racecraft which puts him amongst the greats for sure. However, amongst the best, the greats of the greats, is too much for him. Alonso is a classic case of
            what could have been. I can name lots of drivers who had top racecraft and does not dwell among the best. Some are not even among the greats.

            Ahh, ok. A Schumacher fan. That explains the bitterness perfectly.

            I have tons of respect by Schumacher, his driving and achievements, but if you must know, if I can be related to a fan of anyone of Nando’s rivals, surely is Young Raikkonen.

            Alonso’s wheel fall off in a raceprior to Schumacher’s engine blowing

            Alonso retired because of a wheelnut poorly attached. Hence, it was a pit crew blunder (crew that was running for the WCC), the exact kind of blunder that cost Massa valueable points at Singapore-2008. That is way different from an engine blow, since that’s nothing a team or driver can do right to impede that, as was the case with Schumacher in Japan-2006, and Massa at Hungary-2008.

            Incidently the 2006 Hungary GP has been touted as the best wet weather drive of all time

            Hungary-06, best wet weather drive of all time?! C’mon, that wasn’t even funny. If you truly believe that, then I’ll have to be the one to take you as a youngster.

            If you think Alonso had the superior car in 2005 and 2006 you’re deluded. The first half of 2005 at a push.

            I’d love to see you explain that.

            Legend says Alonso is the overlooked samurai sage who never got a top car. He could not even taste the delights of being WCC. Oh, wait…

            Their massive mistake obviously.

            ” he makes things smooth because he is coming with a pure and genuine motivation. It’s remarkably easy so far.”
            “I believe Fernando has been able to add a lot to the team, partly because of his experience, but especially because of his personality.
            “He’s 100 percent professional, easy-going and open. It gives the engineers and the mechanics an extra boost, extra motivation. I think we can be very happy that he chose to race with us. In hindsight it’s been a very good move.”

            -Toyota technical director Pascal Vasselon

            There are too many quotes from the Americans at Indy praising is character within the team so I’ll spare you those.

            Amusing that I don’t find that unanimity at the F1.

            Ahh, ok then I guess you win. I see what this is about now. No point continuing.

            No, no. Vettel and Hamilton did. You don’t see anything. What I clearly meant was that a driver at the peak of his abilities managed to loose to crude newcomers. Plain and simple.

  12. Video of him at Barber is now online.

  13. Unless he is jet setting between IndyCar starts next year, he will be watching lots of NASCAR. I could see him at least trying the Busch Series road races at Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, and Road America. Montoya, Ganassi, and Mr. Penske are all there for information. The Daytona 500 awaits!

    1. I don’t think we’ll see Alonso in NASCAR, ovals anyway, any time soon.
      Did you catch his interview with Jeff Gordon? He acknowledges Cup cars require a skill set he doesn’t possess, yet.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGNmyGssMz0

      1. The comment to which you replied do brought up three famous road courses and you respond with “he won’t drive on ovals in NASCAR” ? Brilliant!

  14. I agree. Real champions want to compete against the best, not be given “easy victories” by running the only car in its class.

    If he manages to win Indy500, that will be a real victory. Le Mans however, I’d like to see some real competition.

    1. @formulales

      2 cars
      He was actually set to lose one of the WEC races IIRC. They were outqualified and sister car had a tech problem. Either way Le Mans 3 drivers v 3 drivers is tougher than Schumacher and Hamilton were up against in their 1 car teams and veteoing the other top drivers out of a career.

  15. It wouldn’t suprise me at all if he tried to win both the WEC title and IndyCar championship next year.

  16. I’m excited to see Alonso in Indycar for full seasons, mostly to see him race in a competitive car again for a change, but for another reason as well. For years, I’ve heard people commenting that drivers in Indycar are not good enough for F1. If the Indycar drivers are so inferior, Alonso should go into Indycar and absolutely dominate the series. We’re going to see just how good Dixon, Rossi, Power, Newgarden and others are against one of F1’s best drivers. I suspect it’s not going to be as easy as has been suggested.

    Rossi had some good showings for Manor before they folded, but almost no one rated him high enough to offer him a F1 seat. In Indycar he’s been outstanding. During a full season against Alonso, we’ll see if Haas and others passed up an excellent driver who wasn’t able to show his real performance because of the car he was in. That begs the question: if it’s the car that is holding back drivers like Rossi such that they never get a real chance in F1, how many excellent drivers have been cast away unnecessarily and without warrant because of how the series is structured? How many potential WDCs got shown the door way too early?

    1. I am highly anticipating his entry and much for the same reason but for a different purpose. Ever since “the split”, Indycar has been considered a substandard. For awhile, though, it was. I think we’ve managed to regain some good drivers and seeing Alonso will either increase the status of Indycar or decrease it. I’m hoping he won’t be able to just fly to the championship…

      1. I really don’t think it’ll be a walkover for Alonso, nor do I expect him to flop. The competition is strong these days, and he’ll have to drive well and learn the secrets to win a championship and win the 500. I think he will have a ball.

  17. Watching this race never gets tiring. Best wet drive ever IMO.

      1. So nice of you to share this @bigjoe. It’s just what’s needed to dish out to the Alonso haters out there.

  18. I think that’s exactly what he’s trying to do … been saying so for months.

  19. OMG ..he was disqualified ARREADY?!

  20. This is a brilliant article by Keith. Good that he pointed out that people overlook the fact the Alonso could gun for three championships. Besides, the so called “Triple Crown” may have a fixed definition but it is by no means the ultimate definition. People can have different views of it. Personally, a triple crown definition that does not involve the Dakar is absolute tosh. The Dakar is arguably the toughest motorsport event in the world, so how can the triple crown of motorsport avoid that? Btw, Alonso has expressed his desire to do Dakar. And what about Pikes Peak? It is probably the most challenging circuit along with the likes of the Nordschleife. How can a triple crown ever avoid these? And what about the Bonneville land speed record attempts? Aren’t they the ultimate expression of motoring greatness? And when you say “triple crown of motorsport”, you absolutely need to include two wheel sports too – so you need to add Moto GP here somewhere. And how can you leave out the Isle of Man TT? It’s where legends are crafted. The Triple Crown concept is flawed.

  21. I’m no fan of his personality or his cult of followers, but he is a great, nuanced racer. One of the best ever. I hope he competes for a full season in IndyCar, it will add a lot of interest in this competitive series. I’ll be rooting for Rossi and hopefully Wickens though….

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