How Hill won what Alonso desperately wants

By:

Gary Watkins

Jun 9, 2017, 10:10 AM

In 1972 Graham Hill achieved something that nobody has managed to repeat - he completed motor racing's Triple Crown. And his success in something Fernando Alonso is desperate to repeat was hard-earned

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There's no evidence to suggest that Graham Hill was thinking about some kind of triple crown before he lucked into an Indy 500 victory on his debut in the race in 1966. Yet six years later he returned to the Le Mans 24 Hours after a long absence with a Fernando Alonso-like zeal to seal his place in motorsport history.

Hill achieved his goal in 1972, claiming a maiden win for Matra at the same time as future Le Mans legend Henri Pescarolo notched up the first of his four victories. But the Briton viewed the triple crown as slightly different to the one Alonso has in mind.

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Gary Watkins

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Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.