The deadliest crash ever in motor sports history happened in Le Mans, France, on June 12, 1955. Visible at left is the fire from burning Mercedes racer which careened crazily down the course, crashing into an earth barrier back of the picket fence. 58 men, 15 women, and 6 children were reported dead at the time, but there was a further casualty of 5 people after later findings, with 170 (approximate figure) people suffering injuries of varying degrees. At exactly 4:00pm, the race began with the normal pace expected, with some of the big wigs such as Mercedes-Benz having a slow start and falling behind lesser-known names. Here he is, still in his car after crossing the finish line, reaching up for a kiss from a local girl. In total, two drivers died in the 1920s, another two in the 1930s, one in the 1940s, five in the 1950s, six in the 1960s, two in the 1970s, two in the 1980s, one in the 1990s, none in the 2000s, and one in the 2010s. [32][33] In 2015, the ban was relaxed for electric vehicles only, such as cars involved in Formula E electric racing. In 1955 Mercedes offered Levegh the opportunity to race with John Fitch in their 300SLR sports car. Also, to a certain level to know which car makes the lowest pit stops throughout the race. Fitch approached one of the Mercedes team bosses and explained to him why it made sense for the very German team (many of those working at the team were very much active when Mercedes race cars had swastikas painted on the side) to pull out of this French race. The French press, who knew better than most how awful the crash had been, scorned Hawthorn, blamed him for the crash, and in disgust carried pictures of him celebrating after the race, as the BBC reports. With his eyes shut, Fangio with his own quick reflexes squeezed through the carnage and brushed Hawthorn's then-stationary Jaguar in the pits, allowing him to pass unscathed. Life reported that it was days before drivers put together exactly what happened and the public at large learned the gravity of the crash. One British race report praised the variety of the field representing "a United Nations of motor racing." 1955 Le Mans Disaster killed 84 people plus nearly 180 injuries when a driver slowed to make a pit stop causing the cars around him to serve. It's hard to say just how many people died in the crash. The car lacked the more effective state-of-the-art disc brakes featured on the rival Jaguar D-Type, instead incorporating inboard drum brakes and a large air brake behind the driver that could be raised to increase drag and slow the car.[2]. The official inquiry cleared all drivers of any fault. Here you can see the damage it took and how it could've acted like a ramp. And the car's magnesium body burst into flames like a torch, burning others to death.. Here is a full view of the crash site from the nearby stands. Its sloping back acted like a ramp for Levegh's Mercedes, however, which flew into the air. The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a major crash that occurred on 11 June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Organisez, contrlez, distribuez et mesurez tous vos contenus digitaux. One of the main shortcomings of the Circuit de la Sarthe as at the period of the disaster was that there were no barriers between the pit stop and the racecourse, and every sudden pit stop by a driver was a heart in the mouth moment as any minor collision could result in something fatal. The Le Mans endurance race is organized by France's Automobile Club de L'Ouest and has been held . Filmmaker Quentin Baillieux paints a picture of sport and tragedy at Circuit de la Sarthe. One newsreel, minutes after describing the crash, goes on to talk about a car getting stuck in a sandy embankment. Macklin also decided to retire after being involved in another fatal crash, during the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Dundrod Circuit. outstanding team of sports writers. The fuel fire raised the temperature of the remaining Elektron bodywork past its ignition temperature, which was lower than that of other metal alloys due to its high magnesium content. The Le Mans organizers did not actually stop the race. [14] When Fitch returned to his pit, he urged the Mercedes team to withdraw from the race, as continuing to compete would be a public relations disaster for Mercedes-Benz regardless of whether they won or lost. The accident caused, Just ten minutes into the race, Simonsen spun off the kerbs and into the Armco barrier on the exit of Tertre Rouge where it joined RD 338 (, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 23:30. Hawthorn!")[28][3]. Jaguar went on to win the race. The car landed on the earthen embankment between the spectators and the track, bounced, then slammed into a concrete stairwell structure and disintegrated. The Austin-Healey spun into the wall, killing one spectator but leaving its driver unharmed. What stands out in these pictures is the confusion. The horror of the crash caused some drivers present, including Americans Fitch (after completing the season with Mercedes), Phil Walters (who had been offered a drive with Ferrari for the rest of the season[2]), and Sherwood Johnston, to retire from racing. When he finally made it into the pits again, past what was then the scene of the crash, tears were streaming down his face. The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly twelve months after the catastrophe. But widen the scope of the camera, and you get a real feel that this victory had been tainted with something utterly terrible. A major crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Bouillin (who raced under the name Pierre Levegh) and injuring nearly 180 more. He had just lapped Levegh (running sixth) after Arnage (one of the corners of the race track) and was determined to keep Fangio at bay as long as possible. There was great anticipation for the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, as Ferrari, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz had all won the race previously and all three automakers had arrived with new and improved cars. Other bodies are scattered near the picket fence where the Mercedes racer crashed. They included: After an emergency meeting and vote of Mercedes-Benz company directors by telephone in Stuttgart, West Germany, Neubauer finally got the call approving his team's withdrawal just before midnight. Irish Examiner Ltd, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. [2] Sixteen during the race itself, five during pre-race practice and testing sessions, and one en route to the race. The AP reports that they were trying to beat out the flames on Levegh. At the time, it took over six hours for the team to withdraw its cars. Look at how dense the crowd was. Extricating the Dead and Dying. Exiting the Tertre Rouge corner, Larivire lost control of his car and launched over a sandbank along the. [citation needed], Over the next year, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) set about making extensive track improvements and infrastructure changes at the Circuit de la Sarthethe pit straight was redesigned and widened to remove the kink just before the start-finish line, and to give room for a deceleration lane. [15] The initial media accounts were wildly inaccurate, as shown by subsequent analysis of photographic evidence conducted by Road & Track editor (and 1955 second-place finisher) Paul Frre in 1975. [14][18] When he got to the media centre to use a telephone, he got his first inkling of the sheer enormity of the disaster, overhearing a reporter filing that 48 deaths were already confirmed. '"[6][7] The lap before, Hawthorn's pit crew had signalled for him to come in the next lap. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. When the rest of Levegh's car landed on the embankment, the rear-mounted fuel tank exploded. It's easy to find reports of the crash today that talk about how desensitized the public was to the crash. At the time of his mistake, the Mercedes were running 2 and 3 twenty-five miles behind the Talbot! He was not aware that a barrier had been placed across the escape lane and he crashed heavily. Other observers estimated the toll to be much higher. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Levegh, and injuring nearly 180 more. The other team cars were being kept on tighter leashes to conserve the cars, but still racing in the top ten. The first media accounts were wildly inaccurate, as shown by subsequent analysis of photographic evidence conducted by Road & Track editor (and 1955 second-place finisher) Paul Frre in 1975. [14][15], Levegh's front-right wheel rode up onto the rear-left corner of Macklin's car, which acted as a ramp and launched Levegh's car into the air, flying over spectators and rolling end over end for 80 metres (260ft). [3], The 1955 race began at 4pm on Saturday, and, as predicted, the lead cars of Eugenio Castellotti (Ferrari), Hawthorn (Jaguar), and Fangio (Mercedes-Benz) were at the head of the field in the first hour. These big wigs included Ferrari, Jaguar, and Mercedes Benz, who were past winners of the competition. It remains the worst disaster in motorsports history. Bianchi decided to start early as organisers were speculating a wet session later in the day. At first you can see people running from the fire. The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. [43] It was then restored to its original condition.[44]. Levegh crashed into the back of the Austin-Healey. "I believe he wanted to turn the car over at his stop, still in the lead. Mercedes team manager Alfred Neubauer assembled a multinational team for the race: pairing his two best drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the lead car, 1952 race-winner Karl Kling with Frenchman Andr Simon (both also in the current F1 team) and American John Fitch with one of the elder statesmen of French motor-racing, Pierre Levegh. This forced Swiss racing promoters to organize circuit events in foreign countries including France, Italy, and West Germany. It ended with the usual champagne, as well. Behind them were two Mercedes: Levegh ahead of Fangio. [25] In the end the enquiry ruled that no specific driver was responsible for the crash, and that it was merely a terrible racing incident. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of . Macklin survived the incident without serious injury, jumping out of the wreck and over the bank. Everything slows right down as if you were watching a slow-motion film. The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race, when a crash caused large parts of racing car debris to fly into the crowd. Accdez au meilleur de Getty Images avec un simple abonnement. They use them to cover one of the bodies in the road. Mike Hawthorn celebrating the 1955 Le Mans victory despite causing the deadliest accident in history of racing. 2023 Getty Images. By 1955, top speeds for the leading cars were over 270km/h (170mph). In the middle as many as 130 died in the most horrific disaster in motorsports history. The dead and dying were everywhere; the cries of pain, anguish, and despair screamed catastrophe. [8][9] What caught Macklin out though was that Hawthorn, using the Jaguar's advanced disc brakes, braked hard enough to slow his Jaguar from such a speed in time.[10][11][12][13]. Stewart's campaign gained momentum after the deaths of Lorenzo Bandini and Jim Clark. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. The investigations and reviews of the accident continued for a year and a half afterwards. As callous as that might sound, there was a justifiable reason. Levegh was thrown from the car and killed, while burning pieces of the car were flung into the crowd and caught fire, killing 83 others. Many other drivers tried to describe the whole crash as a blameless 'racing incident,' but Hawthorn blamed Lance Macklin, the driver of the Austin-Healey. A further 120 people were injured. This is another in the series made by US soldier Jimmy Prickett of Electra, Texas. The significant chunk of the car slammed into a concrete structure and disintegrated, causing the fuel tank to explode. Show more. The official inquiry held none of the drivers specifically responsible and criticised the layout of the 30-year-old track, which had not been designed for cars as fast as those involved in the crash. "Mike could have been mistaken about how fast my car was going," Macklin would tell Sports Illustrated in a 1986 interview. Last year, Aston Martin GT driver Allan Simonsen died when he crashed into an insufficiently protected tree. This is a list of 24 Hours of Le Mans fatal accidents, which consists of all the drivers who have died during a 24 Hours of Le Mans weekend, or in pre-race testing or practice sessions in preparation of the event. All he did was turn in abruptly. On the one hand: worst accident in autoracing so far, with one dead pilot and about 80 dead spectators. The 1955 Le Mans disaster of 11th June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Shortly before he died, he wrote of the race: "It was as though we were at the point where a great rock had been hurled into a pond, sending out waves of shock and horror and indignation which would later flow back, bringing consequences which no one could foresee. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. They argued that if the accident was announced, panic might sweep through the spectators and flood the streets, and that will make crowd control extreme and might have made rescue efforts very difficult. A large tree behind the Armco has been considered to be an integral part of the impact, causing an aortal separation in the driver's chest. Catastrophe aux 24 heures du Mans en 1955 (France 3 Ouest, 2008), Apokalypse in Le Mans Das Rennen in den Tod (2010), Deadliest Crash: the Le Mans 1955 Disaster (Programme Website), "Crash and carnage at 150 mph This is how the worst racing accident happened", "1955 24 Hours of Le Mans - History, Profile, Information and Photos", "Mike Hawthorn & the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans: The Cause and the Effect", "BBC Four - The Deadliest Crash: the Le Mans 1955 Disaster", "1956 Sebring 12 Hours Grand Prix - Race Photos, History, Profile", "Switzerland Officially Lifts 67-Year Ban On Circuit Racing", "Sir Jackie Stewart and Halo: No stranger to F1 safety ridicule", "Historic Austin-Healey car in Le Mans disaster to fetch '1m at auction", "1953 Austin-Healey has been restored to its former glory", Le Mans 1955 from The Mike Hawthorn Tribute Site, Newsreel footage of the 1955 race and crash, Life Magazine report of the 1955 Le Mans Disaster, 1955 Le Mans Disaster depicted and analyzed in depth by a witness (currently available only in French), Deadliest Crash: The Le Mans 1955 Disaster, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1955_Le_Mans_disaster&oldid=1142738568, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Wikipedia articles needing clarification from March 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, that if the huge crowd of spectators had tried to leave, that firms participating in the race could have sued the race organizers for huge sums of money, that "the rough law of sport dictates that the race shall go on"; Faroux specifically pointing to the, that he did not, in fact, have the authority to stop the race at all, and that, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 02:57. These are all that are available to Jalopnik. [25][3] Tony Rolt and other drivers had been raising concerns about the pit straight since 1953. Switzerland's motorsports ban still stands today. There were two key factors regarding the track layout at that time first, there was no designated deceleration lane for cars coming into the pits, and second, that just before the main straight, there was a very slight right-hand kink in the road just after which Hawthorn started braking. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. However, an inopportune press photograph showed Hawthorn smiling on the podium swigging from the victors bottle of champagne. Years later Fitch claimed, based on his own recollection and from what he heard from others, that Hawthorn had caused it. At 125 miles an hour, "he had no chance to do so himself.". 2023 Getty Images. All of this was from one car cutting through the crowd alone. Mike Hawthorne, the leader in the Jaguar, was getting close to the pit area as he approached driver Lance Macklin who he would lap. Les tableaux sont le meilleur endroit pour sauvegarder des images et des vidos. That said, the circuit had been resurfaced and widened after the Second World War. Having achieved that, Mercedes withdrew from motorsport. As Macklin cut towards the middle of the track, Pierre Levegh, a Mercedes-Benz driver, was approaching at a speed of close to 150 mph; Macklin's car acted as a speed ramp for Pierre catapulting the car towards the spectators. Going into the second hour, Castellotti started dropping back, but Hawthorn and Fangio continued the duel, swapping the lead and dropping the lap record further and further, lapping most of the field.[4][5]. The film cuts short as the recorder dives for cover. then went back and tried to rescue others.". At a gathering for his 92nd birthday, Mercedes driver John Fitch explained just how little the drivers knew. Macklin, who also braked hard, ran off the right-hand edge of the track, throwing up dust. The Mercedes crashed into the embankment that bordered the track, killing Levegh instantly. They suggested that Mercedes-Benz had tampered with the official fuel-supply with an explosive additive, but the intensity of the fire was due instead to the magnesium-alloy construction of the chassis. Hawthorn and Bueb won the race by a margin of five laps from Aston Martin. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. France kept the ban until they they made safety improvements to the tracks, such as breaking down the grandstands at the crash site. An American soldier at the race, Jimmy Prickett, was at the scene and took pictures immediately following the crash. Three years ago, another Audi crashed and nearly careened over a low wall into a large row of photographers. 24 Hours du Mans (in French), held at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Northern France, a 24 hours' endurance-focused sports car race that started in 1923. died when he crashed into an insufficiently protected tree, crashed and nearly careened over a low wall into a large row of photographers. This became the semi-official pronouncement of the Mercedes team and Macklin's story. The healthy carry bodies away from the wreckage. With two other drivers still in the race, Mercedes-Benz continued, but after so many calls for them to abandon the meeting and with the desire to avoid a PR disaster, they pulled out of the race in the wee hours of the morning and went home. It turned friends into enemies, fans into critics, and winners into losers. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. In the background of the picture below, you can see people on the other side of the track, standing on top of teams' pit garages, trying to see how bad things were. Bueb in particular was very reluctant, but given Hawthorn's condition had no choice, as Dewis firmly pointed out to him.[3]. Levegh's Mercedes flipped into the air and struck the sandbank at the side of the track. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. . "There was a doctor who was carrying his young son on his shoulders," Raymonde Galisson, a Le Mans resident who was among the spectators that day, told Sports Illustrated. So what are we, in 2014, left with? During a downpour of rain at dusk, Brussin entered the Dunlop Curve too fast and rolled after hitting an earth bank. However, a press photograph showed Hawthorn smiling on the podium drinking from the victor's bottle of champagne. Extricating the Dead and Dying. The pieces of the Mercedes ripped through the crowd, crushing and decapitating. That was the exact number of spectators killed during the Le Mans disaster. Jaguar team manager "Lofty" England declined. RELATED: 10 Of The Coolest Le Mans Prototypes No One Remembers. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. [40], Macklin's Austin-Healey 100 was sold to several private buyers before appearing on the public auction block. France in particular, as the host of Le Mans, lifted their complete ban on 14 September 1955. Hawthorn and his co-driver Ivor Bueb won the race the next afternoon. Meanwhile, Macklin's car, heavily damaged, rammed the left-side barrier, then veered to the right of the track into the pit lane, narrowly missing Kling's Mercedes-Benz, Roberto Mieres's Maserati, and Don Beauman's Jaguar, all of which were already in the pits refuelling before the accident. John Fitch, Levegh's American co-driver, had suited up and was ready to take over the car at the upcoming pit stop, and was standing with Levegh's wife Denise Bouillin. The alloy burst into white-hot flames, showering the track and crowd with magnesium embers, made worse by rescue workers unfamiliar with magnesium fires who poured water onto the inferno, greatly intensifying the fire. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. [1], After conquering F1, Mercedes-Benz had debuted its new 300 SLR in that year's World Sportscar Championship, including a record-setting win at the Mille Miglia for Stirling Moss. In picture, car numbered '17' (Equipe Los Amigos, XKD 513, 'short-nose') was third at Le Mans in 1957. It was a sort of victory for motorsports somehow, a pyrrhic victory, albeit. Entering the straight, his Matra veered off the inside of the track and exploded into flames. The momentum of the heaviest components of the car the engine block, radiator, and front suspension hurtled straight on into the crowd for almost 100 metres (330ft), crushing all in their path. The Mercedes' body was partially made of a magnesium alloy. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. The 1955 Le Mans Disaster Via: Youtube On the 11th of June 1955, about 300,000 spectators gathered at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Northern France for another endurance car race event. It was the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from motor racing until 1989. Newsreels show the crash itself, and police rushing to tear down advertising banners by the wreck. "But by overtaking me and braking sharply he forced me to overtake him again, which meant I had to pull out in front of Levegh and Fangio. (AP Photo/Jimmy Prickett), A man holds a child in the left background while a woman bends over a lifeless body following the racing car crash and explosion during the 24 hour endurance race at Le Mans, France, June 11, 1955. The crash started when Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn pulled to the right side of the track in front of Austin-Healey driver Lance Macklin and started braking for his pit stop. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. Dewis ventured the opinions that Macklin's move around Hawthorn was careless and that Levegh was not competent to meet the demands of driving at the speeds the 300SLR was capable of. Earlier this week an Audi R18 shot backwards into a wall and the driver survived with only a few friction burns. Footage of the 1955 Le Mans Disaster. Macklin claimed that Hawthorn's move to the pits was sudden, causing an emergency that led him to swerve into Levegh's path. By year [ edit] References [ edit] ^ a b 24 FACTS ABOUT LE MANS' 24 HOURS Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. [14] Levegh's lifeless body, severely burned, lay in full view on the pavement until a gendarme hauled down a banner to cover it. You have accepted push notifications for this content. Extricating the Dead and Dying. The most recent death is Allan Simonsen, who died in the race of 2013. The accident happened at 6:26 pm, at the end of lap 35, when the first pit stops for the leading cars were starting. It smacked the barrier and the road shoulder rolling at hurtling speeds through 85 yards and over a further 100 yards, the engine, radiator, and suspension already ablaze were flung through a cluster of spectators destroying everything and anything in its part. (AP Photo/Jimmy Prickett). It had been Levegh's unprecedented solo drive in the 1952 race that failed in the last hour, which allowed Mercedes-Benz their first Le Mans victory. It commemorates the deadliest accident in motorsport history, which took place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race on June 11, 1955. In the days after the disaster, several explanations were offered by Faroux for this course of action. [3][25][27], Hawthorn and the Jaguar team kept racing. In picture, shown on Finishing Straight, car numbered '25' (Jaguar Works, XKD 605, 'long-nose') was 6th at Le Mans in 1956. [25][26] Their retirement was briefly announced over the public address system. There had been claims that when Lafosse attempted to make up for lost time, either suspension or tyre failure caused the car to veer off suddenly into the barrier.[2][30][31]. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of extricating . Levegh would die before sunset. In the middle as many as 130 died in the most horrific disaster in. . RELATED: These Le Mans Racers Dominated The Worlds Most Famous Race. Search instead in Creative? Fitch explained that he only got an idea of how bad things were when he overheard a journalist friend of his reporting news that some 65 people were reported dead. . At the Circuit de la Sarthe, the audience stands at the pits were demolished. The rest of the 1955 World Sportscar Championship season was completed, with the remaining two races at the British RAC Tourist Trophy and the Italian Targa Florio, although they were not run until September and October, several months after the catastrophe. Profitez de millions dimages, de vidos et morceaux de musique de qualit. Large. Shortly after midnight Mercedes retired its cars from racing were running first and third. This became the semi-official pronouncement of the Mercedes-Benz team and Macklins story. 2023 Getty Images. Pierre Levegh, aged 49, had been hired by Mercedes-Benz . The cars touched, Bonnier's was launched over the barriers and ended up in the trees. In 2003, the Federal Assembly of Switzerland started a lengthy discussion about whether this ban should be lifted. The next round of the World Sportscar Championship at the Nrburgring was cancelled, as was the non-championship Carrera Panamericana. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. In the background are the pit stalls for the racers. [25] Additional details emerged when the stills reviewed by Frre were converted to video form. (In English, "To your health ('Cheers'), Mr. In his biography, Hawthorn said he was "momentarily mesmerized by the legend of the Mercedes superiority Then I came to my senses and thought Damn it, why should a German car beat a British car. One marshal tried to douse the burning wreckage with water and sent huge bursts of white hot fire into the crowd, killing more as this recent history explains. [31] In contrast, Switzerland's ban, which also extended to the running of timed motorsports such as hillclimbs, was not quickly lifted. By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser. Opinions differed widely amongst the other drivers as to who was directly to blame for the crash, and such differences remain even today. D-Type Jaguars won the Le Mans 24hr endurance race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. On Sunday morning, Bonnier approached the Indianapolis bend before Arnage and tried to avoid the slowly driven Ferrari 365GTB4 #35 of Florian Vetsch. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. The action was still unresolved when Hawthorn was killed in a non-racing crash on the Guildford bypass in 1959, ironically while overtaking a Mercedes-Benz in his Jaguar.
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