A special Mass was held in the morning in the Le Mans Cathedral for the first funerals of the victims. Here he is, still in his car after crossing the finish line, reaching up for a kiss from a local girl. The Le Mans endurance race is organized by France's Automobile Club de L'Ouest and has been held . Hawthorn retired from motorsport soon after but was ironically killed when overtaking a Mercedes on a slippery road near his Surrey home in 1959.
The Worst Accident in Motorsports History (1955 Le Mans Disaster - Cole was killed when his Ferrari left the road, impacting one of several farm houses lining the road at Maison Blanche. "The hood decapitated tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, watching from the pit wall, recalled, The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. Levegh had no time to evade, and with possibly his last action, raised his hand, warning Fangio, thereby probably saving Fangio's life. [14][3][18], Hawthorn had overshot his pits and stopped. "[16] Spectators who had climbed onto ladders and scaffolding to get a better view of the track, and those crowding to use the underpass to get to the pits, found themselves in the path of the lethal debris. He recalled: "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. 24 Hours du Mans (in French), held at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Northern France, is a 24 hours' endurance-focused sports car race that started in 1923. With the Mercedes-Benz team withdrawn and the Ferraris all broken, Jaguars main competition had gone. Years later Fitch claimed, based on his own recollection and from what he heard from others, that Hawthorn had caused it. He wrote a book saying so, and Macklin then sued Hawthorn for libel. Eighty-three spectators and driver Pierre Levegh died and 120 more were injured in the most catastrophic accident in motorsport history. This is another in the series made by US soldier Jimmy Prickett of Electra, Texas. [8] Coming out of the Maison Blanche portion of the course, he rapidly caught Lance Macklin in his Austin Healey 100S, who had seen him and moved over to the right to let him pass. In terms of human toll, it is the most catastrophic accident in motorsports history. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Car and engine bits struck the crowd as there was only a 4 foot bank between spectators and cars traveling up to 170 MPH due to a lack of safety standards. Browse 265 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. In picture, shown on Finishing Straight, car numbered '25' (Jaguar Works, XKD 605, 'long-nose') was 6th at Le Mans in 1956. Also, to a certain level to know which car makes the lowest pit stops throughout the race. That was my first thought. 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. 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. 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. Fast forward two hours and 26 minutes later, and disaster struck. The media also speculated on the violent fire that engulfed the wreck, which intensified when fire marshals poured their water-based extinguishers on the flames. At the 24 Hueres Du Mans in July 1955, the inevitable finally happened. Aside from two layout changes to make the circuit shorter, the Circuit de la Sarthe was largely unaltered since the inception of the race in 1923, when top speeds of cars were typically in the region of 100km/h (60mph). They saw the whole catastrophe unfold. [14] The bonnet lid scythed through the air, "decapitating tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. At the Circuit de la Sarthe, the audience stands at the pits were demolished. The French magazine LAuto-Journal published it with the sarcastic caption, votre sant, Monsieur Hawthorn! (In English, To your health (Cheers), Mr. Hawthorn!). Only two cars were involved in the disaster. During the first lap of Haller's stint (and his second participation) at 9 pm, his, Near the end of his driving stint and half an hour after the green flag came out, the Rondeau of Lafosse, who was lying in seventh place at 5:03 pm, was approaching the Lola T600 of, At 12:40 pm, part of the rear bodywork of Enjolras's WM came loose at Arnage, causing the car to go airborne over the safety barriers. [40], Macklin's Austin-Healey 100 was sold to several private buyers before appearing on the public auction block. Accounts put the death toll at 80 to 84 (spectators plus Levegh), either by flying debris or from the fire, with a further 120 to 178 injured. The AP states that it's unclear how this body ended up as it lay. Le design Getty Images est une marque de Getty Images. then went back and tried to rescue others.". 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. [Warning: graphic content]. [14] Levegh's lifeless body, severely burned, lay in full view on the pavement until a gendarme hauled down a banner to cover it. It is one part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. Pierre Levegh, in a Mercedes Benz, was next on the scene. Andr Guilbert was the first driver to die in June 1925 during the race's third year, although this was due to a collision with a van while en route to the race,[1] but is classified by race historians and authors of the official yearbooks, Christian Moity and Jean-Marc Teissedre. 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. Sign in The Worst Accident in. Look at how dense the crowd was. 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. The deadliest crash ever in motor sports history happened in Le Mans, France, on June 12, 1955.
Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Bodies were strewn throughout the stands The majority of the dead were French, with the numbers injured running into the hundreds. 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.
Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. 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. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. Macklin swerved out from behind the slowing Jaguar into the path of Levegh, who was passing on the left in his much faster Elektron magnesium-alloy bodied Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Also, there is the small matter of unconventional circuits, which unlike other competition which is held on private roads (which are consistently maintained), the Le Mans were held on long stretches of a public highway. 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. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. . Flying metal following the explosion killed some 80 and injured many spectators. [25], Opinions differed widely amongst the other drivers as to who was directly to blame for the crash, and such differences remain even today. 63 1955 Le Mans Disaster Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 63 1955 LE MANS DISASTER Premium High Res Photos Browse 63 1955 LE MANS DISASTER stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Instead it pointed the finger of blame at the track layout which was deemed unsuitable for such high- speed racing. A single accident that caused death and destruction on an unprecedented scale. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. But it's wrong to try and point fingers. Extricating the Dead and Dying. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here. [15][8], Macklin, on reading Hawthorn's 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. The healthy carry bodies away from the wreckage. Macklin's car hit the unprotected pit-wall, just short of the Cunningham and Mercedes-Benz pits where Shell and Lockheed equipment were stationed, running down a policeman, a photographer and two officials (all seriously injured), then rebounded back across the track again to end up skating down the left-side fence for a second time. The circuit goes through a dedicated section of the racing track too. Modern race cars have fuel cells which keep fuel from spreading as it did here, and they don't use magnesium like they did then, either. . [25][26] Their retirement was briefly announced over the public address system. 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. [9][14], The critical kink in the road put the car on a direct trajectory toward the packed terraces and grandstand. The cars continued to zoom around the massive 8.383-mile circuit as emergency morgues were set up and ambulances ferried the walking wounded to hospitals. Just behind Hawthorn was a much slower Austin-Healey, actually a lap down on Hawthorn. 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. French Memorial Site. You have accepted push notifications for this content. 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. It ended with the usual champagne, as well. D-Type Jaguars won the Le Mans 24hr endurance race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. The media also speculated on the violent fire that engulfed the wreck, which intensified when fire marshals poured their water-based extinguishers on the flames. That being said, while the Audi successfully protected its driver, it hit an unprotected, hard wall. 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.
At the time of his mistake, the Mercedes were running 2 and 3 twenty-five miles behind the Talbot! Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. However, there was a return to the sport in the '90s. France and Switzerland both banned motor racing after Le Mans. Within hours of the crash, the local police reported sixty five dead, as one racer remembered, and now the death toll is usually reported as something in the 80s. Below is that interview in full. The other team cars were being kept on tighter leashes to conserve the cars, but still racing in the top ten. Although Marchal was taken to the hospital, he died the following day. [3], Both Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz issued official statements, mainly in self-defense against the accusations leveled against them and their drivers. The images may be black and white but even the faded frames of a tragedy 65 years ago still pack a powerful punch. 312 Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 312 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Three years ago, another Audi crashed and nearly careened over a low wall into a large row of photographers. During preliminary tests on a wet track on Saturday morning, April 2, 1966 he lost control and drove down an escape road.
Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images It shows you not only how the crash happened, but how little stood between those watching and the flying wreckage. The Jaguar boss didn't have to report back to the factory, and when Mercedes came up to him to say they weren't going to finish the race, they asked if he would too. We may earn a commission from links on this page. [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. [34] The ban was lifted in May 2022.[35]. Eighty-four. My instant reaction when he did it was, 'Bloody Mike Hawthorn, he must be out of his mind!' I've seen many shots of the '55 disaster, but never all of them in one place outside of the AP archives. These are all that are available to Jalopnik. All he did was turn in abruptly. (AP Photo), Spectators flee the searing flames of a smashed Mercedes racing car after an accident at Le Mans, France, endurance race which killed more than 80 persons, June 11, 1955. Macklin swerved out from behind the slowing Jaguar into the path of Levegh, who was passing on the left in his much faster Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. 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. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of . That said, many contemporary race reports treat the crash unbelievably mildly. ". The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly twelve months after the catastrophe. "I felt the heat of his exhaust as he went by me, no more than three feet over my shoulder. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. Tirez parti du rseau mondial GettyImages, avec plus de 340 000 crateurs, pour dvelopper un contenu exclusif, cr spcialement pour votre marque. The death toll led to an immediate temporary ban on motorsports in France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and other nations, until the racetracks could be brought to a higher safety standard. Search instead in Creative? It became part of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 after previous stints in the Sportscar Championship and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. 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. "Then there was a hell of a bang like a bomb had hit.". Despite expectations for the race to be red-flagged and stopped entirely, race officials, led by race director Charles Faroux, kept the race running. Its sloping back acted like a ramp for Levegh's Mercedes, however, which flew into the air. Racing fuel exploded. 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. "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.
77 deaths at Le Mans | Motor sport | The Guardian Inside the 1955 Le Mans Tragedy - Moss Motoring They use them to cover one of the bodies in the road. At Arnage during the final hours of the race, Marchal's Aston Martin spun while attempting to pass another competitor. Neubauer limited himself to suggesting improvements to the pit straight and making pit-stops safer. [25][16][29][3] It has remained the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history. Cole was thrown from the car and died at the scene. The Ferraris, current champions at the time, were very fast but fragile and prone to mechanical failure. Indeed, the German company withdrew from all motor racing at the end of that season and did not return until 1987. Levegh's car skipped over a protective earthen berm at 200km/h (125mph) and made at least two impacts within the spectator area, the last of which caused the car to disintegrate, throwing him onto the track where he was instantly killed. Irish Examiner Ltd, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Search instead in Creative? The 24 Hours of Le Mans is safer, much safer, than it was in 1955, but it is still a deadly track. It was only ten years after the end of WWII, and dead bodies in the French countryside was fresh in everyone's memory. I should say that the 'pits' were completely undivided from the racetrack back then. France in particular, as the host of Le Mans, lifted their complete ban on 14 September 1955. 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.