In car racing they have the "Triple Crown of Motorsport" which is someone who wins the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 hours - there is another version which is the F1 world title, Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 hrs, but this is less accepted.
Only Graham Hill has ever achieved this and he has done it both ways. Alonso is trying for it and I think Juan Pablo Montoya and Jaques Villeneuve have 2 legs of one or other of the versions.
I have always wondered if there is an equivalent for bike racing and what races would comprise it.
If there isn't may I suggest one and here are my first thoughts.
Assen TT (500c/MotoGP) - it's the only constant, like Monaco (although I know Monaco missed a few years), so would be the equivalent.
Bol D'Or - the direct equivalent of Le Mans
Is Assen a fair choice for the GP? If not what other round the Italian - but that has been at Misano, Imola, Mugello and Monza - it doesn't have the consistency of Assen. The British - same again TT, SIlverstone and Donington and then none of the others have been really constant enough.
The third leg poses a problem.
The Daytona 200 would be a nice fit, but nowadays it is a 600c race and the top racers, even in the states don't race it. It started to lose international racers in 1990s and since 2005 hasn't even been using the top class in the US.
The TT would be nice, but now is too specialised for GP racers to even attempt it. I think he last GP racer to seriously do it was Danny Webb and Danny only raced 125s.
My option would be the Suzuka 8hrs. It's been around a while, different types of riders race it and it is a big prestigious race. However, it only started in 1978 and I guess only became big news in the 80s.
Bathurst may be a slight possibility, but I think not enough international racers have done it.
I can't think of another third option that is international enough (i.e. outside of Europe), prestigious enough (i.e. gets GP racers doing it) and been around long enough. Someone may enlighten me though.
Whatever way no-one has won it.
Any suggestions?
If we took Assen/Bol/Suzuka - the following have 2 legs Rossi, Wayne Gardner, Doohan and Dominique Sarron
If we took Assen/Bol/Daytona - the following have 2 legs Rossi, Wayne Gardner, Doohan, Schwantz, Miguel Duhamel, Agostini and Kenny Roberts
Maybe we can launch a campaign to get one recognised!
If it were Assen/Bol/Suzuka then we might see Rossi at the Bol D'Or. That might rescue the WEC series which I think has lost it's way since it stopped giving points to the riders. I can't seem to get interested in finding out which team won a race, I want to know which riders have won. For me it has become an anonymous series.
If it were Assen/Bol/Daytona we might see some GP racers over there and even see Superbikes racing the 200, you never know.
We might see - Rossi at Daytona? Stoner at Daytona or the Bol? Lorenzo back?
Edited by brands77, 05 September 2022 - 08:36.