McLaren to race historic “Triple Crown” colours at Monaco

Oscar Piastri will be racing some of the most famous McLaren colours on the streets of Monte Carlo this weekend.

McLaren has unveiled a striking special scheme incorporating all three of the team’s “Triple Crown” winning cars as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.

The St Kilda looking livery will be carried by both Piastri and Lando Norris at the back to back Monaco and Spanish races.

The Formula 1 team will not be alone racing famous liveries of the past with Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi also carrying similar one-off looks for the McLaren IndyCar team at the Indianapolis 500.

The significance of carrying such historic colours is not lost on Piastri, who will suit up for his debut Monaco Grand Prix for McLaren this weekend.

The special livery McLaren will carry at the Monaco Grand Prix featuring all three of the team’s “Triple Crown” successes. Image: McLaren

“The Triple Crown livery looks incredible, and I can’t imagine a better way to experience my first Monaco Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver with McLaren Racing,” said the Australian.

“Bruce McLaren was a winner in Monte Carlo in 1962 and the McLaren team has such a rich history at the Monaco Grand Prix.

“I will feel incredibly proud lining up on the grid in the MCL60, carrying the same colours as the three Triple Crown winning race cars.”

The “Triple Crown” is one of the biggest achievements of motorsport, only being complete once a driver or team has taken victory at all three of the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours.

Johnny Rutherford reunites with his 1974 Indianapolis 500 winning McLaren at the McLaren Technology Centre in 2018. Image: McLaren Brazil

Whilst it is mostly acknowledged as a driver accolade with four-time Monaco Grand Prix winner, 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans victor and 1966 Indianapolis 500 champion Graham Hill the only person to do it, McLaren has also achieved the feat as a constructor.

The team’s path to the “Triple Crown” started in 1974 when Johnny Rutherford drove an all papaya McLaren 25th on the grid to a 22s victory in that year’s Indy 500.

A decade later famous Frenchman Alain Prost mastered the Monaco streets to give McLaren its first of a record 15 victories at the principality.

Alain Prost steers his McLaren MP4-2 TAG through the slippery streets of Monaco to victory in 1984. Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch

The 1984 Monaco Grand Prix was only held across 34 laps as torrential rain saturated the circuit, but it is extremely memorable, being known as the emergence of Ayrton Senna to the F1 world.

Although Senna drove an uncompetitive Tolman-Hart from 13th to first, a count-back to the last completed lap before the race-ending red flag ensured Prost lifted the winner’s trophy.

Prost would go on to win the race four times and Senna a record six, while both contributed to McLaren’s record-breaking success at Monte Carlo with wins also arriving in 1985, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 98, 2000, 02, 05, 07 and 08. 

The last part of the Triple Crown left to conquer was the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the team scored victory on debut in 1995.

The Yannick Dalmas, Masanori Sekiya and J.J. Lehto McLaren F1 GTR BMW makes a pitstop during the victorious 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. Photo by LAT Images

In one of the wettest races in the event’s 100-year history, JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya drove a black McLaren F1 GTR to victory after 298 laps around the famous Circuit de la Sarthe.

In 2023 McLaren moulded all three of the famous designs into one scheme spread across their 2023 challenger.

The front of the car is covered in the black used in the Le Mans triumph, while the rear is a callback to the famous “Marlboro” scheme, which McLaren carried between 1974 and 1996.

To avoid any resemblance of tobacco sponsorship which has been banned for decades, the red has been replaced by the papaya used by Rutherford’s Indy 500 winner.

“Having achieved the greatest accomplishment in motorsport by completing the Triple Crown, we are proud to celebrate the rich history of McLaren Racing with a special livery at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix,” said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.

“In line with our 60th anniversary celebrations and honouring the legacy of [team founder] Bruce McLaren, the unique livery pays homage to the three victories which form the Triple Crown accolade.”

Lando Norris leads Daniel Ricciardo in McLaren’s memorable Gulf livery at Monaco in 2021. Photo by Charles Coates / LAT Images

McLaren last ran a throwback livery on the streets of Monaco in 2021 when both Norris and Daniel Ricciardo raced with the iconic Gulf colours.

The change of livery brought out the best of Norris, who drove the car all the way to the Monaco podium, while Ricciardo had a race to forget being lapped by his teammate.

Whilst a repeat podium looks unlikely, Norris is looking forward to celebrating the team’s special anniversary at the biggest weekend of the year.

“It’s a privilege to be involved in McLaren Racing’s 60th anniversary celebrations and to combine three iconic race winning McLaren liveries into one for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is going to be a special moment for the whole team,” said Norris.

“McLaren has an impressive record in Monte Carlo and on a personal level to have experienced a podium at the 2021 race was a huge honour.

“We’ll be racing hard in a great looking car to celebrate Bruce McLaren and the team’s amazing legacy.”

Both the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 will take place this Sunday night.