Max Verstappen has decisively removed himself from the chase for motorsport’s fabled Triple Crown, confirming he has no interest in competing at the Indianapolis 500. While the four-time Formula 1 champion remains enthusiastic about sportscar racing and open to racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he made clear that the Indy 500 is not part of his plans.
“Le Mans, yes” — but no Indy 500
“Le Mans, yes, but I am not interested in the Triple Crown,” Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365. “I enjoy watching IndyCar, but I do not need to drive it myself.”
The Triple Crown is widely considered to comprise the F1 world championship, the Indianapolis 500, and overall victory at Le Mans — a feat only achieved by Graham Hill, who sealed his set with the 1972 Le Mans win after two F1 titles and victory at Indy in 1966. An alternative metric swaps the F1 title for the Monaco Grand Prix; Hill uniquely achieved that, too.
Context: recent pursuits and Verstappen’s current outlook
In the modern era, Fernando Alonso came closest, adding two Le Mans wins to his two F1 titles and a pair of Monaco triumphs, though the Indy 500 eluded him. Verstappen, who recently won an NLS race at the Nürburgring and already counts two Monaco wins, is not chasing the accolade and is instead selective about extra commitments around his F1 programme.
Future GT and endurance outings remain undecided
Asked about entering more GT races — including the Nürburgring 24 Hours, scheduled between the Miami and Canadian GPs in 2026 — Verstappen cautioned that any decision depends on how next season unfolds. “For the future, it also depends on how next season goes in F1 with the new rules. It’s impossible to say now if I can compete in other things outside of [F1 next year].”
Takeaway
Verstappen’s stance prioritises his F1 commitments while leaving the door open for Le Mans. The Triple Crown, however, is off the table — not for lack of admiration for IndyCar, but because the Dutchman simply doesn’t feel the need to race it himself.
