On Saturday, Max Verstappen impressively won his first NLS race at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The Dutchman, who had only obtained the necessary licenses two weeks prior, made an immediate impact in his GT3 debut. It’s clear that he has many ambitions outside of Formula 1, although Verstappen shows little interest in the most prestigious title in motorsport – the legendary Triple Crown.
The Triple Crown is considered the ultimate combination of victories in racing: winning the Monaco GP, the Indy 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To this day, only Graham Hill has achieved this feat. The Brit, who was crowned world champion in 1962 and 1968, was known as ‘Mr. Monaco’ because he won in the principality no less than five times in the 1960s. In 1966, he also won the Indy 500, and in 1974, he secured the much-coveted victory in Le Mans.
No Triple Crown for Verstappen
In recent years, Fernando Alonso has made attempts at the Triple Crown. The Spaniard won Le Mans in 2018 and 2019, has two victories in Monaco to his name, but a win in the Indy 500 still eludes him. In 2017, he made a serious attempt to win the oval race, but was ultimately defeated by engine trouble. Verstappen, who has also won twice in Monaco, does not share Alonso’s Triple Crown ambitions, he stated after the race weekend in Baku.
“Le Mans, yes, but I’m not interested in the Triple Crown,” Verstappen told the media in Azerbaijan. “I enjoy watching IndyCar, but I don’t need to drive in it myself.” The Red Bull driver makes no secret of his desire to participate in more endurance races. In the past, he expressed a wish to compete in Le Mans with a Formula 1 dream team, including Lando Norris. After his first victory on the Nordschleife, he is also considering participating in the notorious 24-hour race on ‘the Ring’. “It also depends on how the next Formula 1 season will go, with all the new rules,” he explained. “It’s impossible to say right now whether I can do other things outside of Formula 1.”
