[14][3][18], Hawthorn had overshot his pits and stopped. It turned friends into enemies, fans into critics, and winners into losers. One spectator actually recorded the crash head-on. Maybe that's what makes these pictures still so very chilling. 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. It commemorates the deadliest accident in motorsport history, which took place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race on June 11, 1955. The accident reportedly occurred in heavy fog. The only people on and around the podium that day who had mixed emotions at the race end were either race officials who were trying (and failing) to put on a faade for the camera and were grateful for an end to a disastrous race or other workers at the Le Mans circuit who had no stake in the race. Macklin, on reading Hawthorns 1958 autobiography, Challenge Me the Race, was embittered when he found that Hawthorn now disclaimed all responsibility for the crash without identifying who had caused it. World Sports Car Championship.During the race, Pierre Levegh crashed into a crowd of spectators, killing 84 (including himself) and injuring 120 in the deadliest accident in motor racing history. Large pieces of debris, including the Mercedes' engine block, radiator, front suspension, and bonnet (hood), were sent flying into the packed spectator area in front of the grandstand. . The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race in Le Mans, France in June 1955, when a crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd. Most spectators at the race were still oblivious to the accident that just happened. D-Type Jaguars won the Le Mans 24hr endurance race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. June 11, 1955: 83 People Were Killed at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. It's So abruptly that he ended up missing his garage space and was ordered to do another lap to make it back around since backing up wasn't allowed. . [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. [32][33] In 2015, the ban was relaxed for electric vehicles only, such as cars involved in Formula E electric racing. Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, and Mike Hawthorn were household names in the fifties with the marquee manufacturers of Ferrari, Jaguar along with Mercedes Benz all throwing resources at claiming the crown. The race authorities never called the race off. [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. The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. France and Switzerland both banned motor racing after Le Mans. 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. . I'll try and give an explanation of how it happened, why so many people died, and why the organizers didn't cancel the race after the crash. At the time of his mistake, the Mercedes were running 2 and 3 twenty-five miles behind the Talbot! It was the turning point in the industry as considerable changes were made towards improving the safety of drivers and spectators. 82 people were killed during a crash at Le Mans 24-hour race in 1955 Pierre Levegh's Mercedes ricocheted into the pit-lane grandstand The race between leaders Mike Hawthorn (Jaguar) and Juan. Shortly after midnight Mercedes retired its cars from racing were running first and third. 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. I am including all of his pictures preserved by the AP, as well as all of the photographs taken by the AP itself. Norman Dewis ventured the opinions that Macklins 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. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Find Le Mans Disaster stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Search instead in Creative? . Browse 63 1955 le mans disaster stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. . In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. 0. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Levegh, and injuring nearly 180 more. Much recrimination was directed at Hawthorn, saying that he had suddenly cut in front of Macklin and slammed on the brakes near the entrance to the pits, forcing Macklin to take desperate evasive action into the path of Levegh. Even at the scene, it doesn't look like anyone knows what's going on. Levegh and competitor Mike Hawthorn were running near each other at the beginning of the pit lane when Hawthorn slowed for a pit stop. A special Mass was held in the morning in the Le Mans Cathedral for the first funerals of the victims. [3] Levegh was thrown out of his tumbling car and hit the ground, crushing his skull upon impact and killing him instantly. The other team cars were being kept on tighter leashes to conserve the cars, but still racing in the top ten. 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. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. But I am not fully convinced that everyone was as cold to the crash then as they are now. [14] Levegh's lifeless body, severely burned, lay in full view on the pavement until a gendarme hauled down a banner to cover it. Life reported that it was days before drivers put together exactly what happened and the public at large learned the gravity of the crash. Flying metal following the explosion killed some 80 and injured many spectators. In the background are the pit stalls for the racers. Levegh died in the 1955 Le Mans disaster which also killed 83 spectators during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans automobile race. The car, lying on the track, was then hit by the Ferrari of, As the car was thrown off balance over the hump on the. The French police files have never been opened, and one long time Le Mans racing chief later estimated the death toll at 130. Levegh rear-ended Macklin at high speed, overriding Macklin's car and launching his own car through the air. Just How Horrifying Was The Worst Crash In Motorsports, Le Mans '55? But widen the scope of the camera, and you get a real feel that this victory had been tainted with something utterly terrible. [42] The car retained the original engine SPL 261-BN,[41] but was reported to be in 'barn find' condition. (In English, "To your health ('Cheers'), Mr. In 1955 Mercedes offered Levegh the opportunity to race with John Fitch in their 300SLR sports car. In all, a total of 22 drivers have died in and around the Circuit de la Sarthe,[1] with more than half occurring along the circuit's Mulsanne Straight. A special mass was held in the morning in the Le Mans Cathedral for the first funerals of the victims. Extricating the Dead and Dying. 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. The accident happened at 6:26 pm, at the end of lap 35, when the first pit stops for the leading cars were starting. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. The healthy carry bodies away from the wreckage. 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. 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. 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. He recalled: "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. 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. Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 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. Five days after his accident, Hansgen died in the American military hospital of Orlans, France, where he had been admitted. Indeed, the German company withdrew from all motor racing at the end of that season and did not return until 1987. Le design Getty Images est une marque de Getty Images. Footage of the 1955 Le Mans Disaster. : r/WTF - reddit The Le Mans endurance race is organized by France's Automobile Club de L'Ouest and has been held . A photographer captured Hawthorn slugging from the customary bottle of champagne presented to the victory - just over 20 hours after the tragedy. One newsreel, minutes after describing the crash, goes on to talk about a car getting stuck in a sandy embankment. The protagonists were Pierre Levegh representing Mercedes, Mike Hawthorn driving for Jaguar, and Lance Macklin of the Austin-Healey team. Mike Hawthorn celebrating the 1955 Le Mans victory despite causing the deadliest accident in history of racing. The Le Mans organizers did not actually stop the race. Footage of the 1955 Le Mans Disaster. 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. Despite expectations for the race to be red-flagged and stopped entirely, race officials, led by race director Charles Faroux, kept the race running. At Le Mans 1955, 83 race fans were killed after debris from the highly-flammable magnesium-alloy bodied Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR went flying into the bleachers after it crashed on the track. Levegh crashed into the back of the Austin-Healey. The 1955 Le Mans tragedy was deemed a terrible accident but in truth was the end of an era that would never come again. Other pictures show them dragging his body to the pits. [25][16][29][3] It has remained the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history. The crash was right in front of a densely packed crowd and grandstands, protected by nothing more than a few hay bales. Only two cars were involved in the disaster. Behind these fleeing spectators is the scene where many were killed when hit by flying pieces of the racer which exploded after crashing into a retaining wall. The greatest carmakers in the world were competing, as were the best drivers. Large. This race report shows the crash, though the video is curiously backwards. The disaster at Le Mans heralded a new era for motorsports with more technological innovations to improve sports cars and driver's safety. This became the semi-official pronouncement of the Mercedes-Benz team and Macklins story. Le Mans 1955 - the deadliest crash in motor sports history [15][16], Prior to the crash, the car was involved in a previous incident with partial damage to the front bodywork, as photographic evidence shows. 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. 2023 Getty Images. On Sunday morning, Bonnier approached the Indianapolis bend before Arnage and tried to avoid the slowly driven Ferrari 365GTB4 #35 of Florian Vetsch. Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, 40 Amazing Photos of 17th and 18th Century Buildings in Eastern Massachusetts, Historys Oldest Color Photos Show How The World Looked Like A Century Ago, Jean Harlow in Publicity Portraits for Hells Angels, Taken Late 1929. A police officer helps carry out an injured man, dazed. Even after modifications had been made to the Circuit de la Sarthe after 1955, Louis Hry was killed on his own just a year later. Search instead in. 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. At Arnage during the final hours of the race, Marchal's Aston Martin spun while attempting to pass another competitor. The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly twelve months after the catastrophe. The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France on June 11, 1955. The circuit at Le Mans is incredibly long, and information was even more sparse away from the immediate vicinity of the crash. "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. On the other hand: damn those Jaguar D-types look nice. By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser. Two hours later, photographers captured priests performing last rites. The action was still unresolved when Hawthorn was killed in a non-racing crash on the Guildford bypass in 1959, coincidentally while overtaking a Mercedes-Benz in his Jaguar. During preliminary tests on a wet track on Saturday morning, April 2, 1966 he lost control and drove down an escape road. Even for the 50's I am surprised they kept on racing. [25], Opinions differed widely amongst the other drivers as to who was directly to blame for the crash, and such differences remain even today. Jaguar concentrated their racing almost exclusively on Le Mans and had a very experienced driver line-up, including Formula 1 (F1) Ferrari driver Mike Hawthorn. One British race report praised the variety of the field representing "a United Nations of motor racing." Its sloping back acted like a ramp for Levegh's Mercedes, however, which flew into the air. In other racing events where a car's ability is based on how fast it moves and in record time, this is a test of car reliability. 77 deaths at Le Mans Mon 13 Jun 1955 04.33 EDT Le Mans, June 12 Le Mans is in mourning today for the 77 people killed when the blazing wreckage of a Mercedes sports car crashed through. Tirez parti du rseau mondial GettyImages, avec plus de 340 000 crateurs, pour dvelopper un contenu exclusif, cr spcialement pour votre marque. At a gathering for his 92nd birthday, Mercedes driver John Fitch explained just how little the drivers knew. Here is a full view of the crash site from the nearby stands. His Mercedes Benz clipped the edge of the Austin Healey and was launched skywards. 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.