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"I think he misjudged the speed of my car [which would have been around 120 at this point] and its position and that he was afraid of having to go around again and run the risk of running out of petrol. outstanding team of sports writers. The cars had no seat belts; the drivers reasoned that it was preferable to be thrown clear in a collision rather than be crushed or trapped in a burning car. [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. 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 300 SLR featured a body made of an ultra-lightweight magnesium alloy called Elektron. Browse 305 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Having achieved that, Mercedes withdrew from motorsport. The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly 12 months after the catastrophe. These roads are not predictable and can have so many unforeseen dangers. The AP reports that they were trying to beat out the flames on Levegh. (AP Photo/Jimmy Prickett), A few of the living come to the rescue among the dead and injured following the worst tragedy in racing history at Le mans, France, June 11, 1955. The investigations and reviews of the accident continued for a year and a half afterwards. At the time, it took over six hours for the team to withdraw its cars. Leveghs car, which was estimated to be travelling at over 150mph (240khm), flipped over and flew on before slamming into the bank by the spectator enclosure. June 11, 2020 In the days after the disaster, several explanations were offered by Faroux for this course of action. (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. I stood as if in a dream, too horrified to even think."[17][18]. Search instead in. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Levegh, and injuring nearly 180 more. At first you can see people running from the fire. That said, many contemporary race reports treat the crash unbelievably mildly. . In picture, car numbered '17' (Equipe Los Amigos, XKD 513, 'short-nose') was third at Le Mans in 1957. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ", Get the latest news from the world of sport along with the best opinion from our outstanding team of sport writers, direct to your inbox every Friday. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. [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. Footage of the 1955 Le Mans Disaster. This was indeed one of the most terrible accidents in the early decades of motorsports. Here, a man holds the body of a child. And the car's magnesium body burst into flames like a torch, burning others to death.. The discussion focused on traffic policy and environmental questions rather than on safety. (AP Photo/Jacques Marqueton), 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. Although Marchal was taken to the hospital, he died the following day. Levegh crashed into the back of the Austin-Healey. Search instead in Creative? Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of extricating . The rear of Levegh's car landed on the berm and exploded into flames. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. It remains the worst disaster in motorsports history. Other bodies are scattered near the picket fence where the Mercedes racer crashed. The circuit goes through a dedicated section of the racing track too. When the rest of Levegh's car landed on the embankment, the rear-mounted fuel tank exploded. It commemorates the deadliest accident in motorsport history, which took place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race on June 11, 1955. Neubauer limited himself to suggesting improvements to the pit straight and making pit-stops safer. He tried to avoid a collision with Macklin but he was too close and too fast. [2] Marius Mestivier was the first race fatality, occurring only a few hours after Guilbert's death. 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. Sixty started, but only 21 finished, with Britains Mike Hawthorn the winner in a Jaguar. [25][3] Tony Rolt and other drivers had been raising concerns about the pit straight since 1953. 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. Two hours after the start, 77 were killed and another 77 injured when Pierre Le Veghs Mercedes somersaulted into the crowd. Macklin also decided to retire after being involved in another fatal crash, during the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Dundrod Circuit. The Le Mans endurance race is organized by France's Automobile Club de L'Ouest and has been held . The 1955 Le Mans tragedy was deemed a terrible accident but in truth was the end of an era that would never come again. Maybe that's what makes these pictures still so very chilling. Three drivers were involved in the incident: Mike Hawthorne (Jaguar D Type), Lance Macklin (Austin Healey 100s), and Pierre Levegh (Mercedes 300SLR). [14][3][18], Hawthorn had overshot his pits and stopped. [3], Both Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz issued official statements, mainly in self-defense against the accusations leveled against them and their drivers. He wrote a book saying so, and Macklin then sued Hawthorn for libel. The importance of the crash is not how two cars crashed into each other. In 1969, it was bought for 155 (equivalent to 2,714 in 2021). The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. 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. Profitez de millions dimages, de vidos et morceaux de musique de qualit. On the one hand: worst accident in autoracing so far, with one dead pilot and about 80 dead spectators. Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, watching from the pit wall, recalled, The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. The announcer claims that the sand trap has "claimed another victim." 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. 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. 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. Also, to a certain level to know which car makes the lowest pit stops throughout the race. It became part of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 after previous stints in the Sportscar Championship and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. He recalled: "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. In the United States, the American Automobile Association (AAA) dissolved their Contest Board that had been the primary sanctioning body for motorsport in the U.S. (including the Indianapolis 500) since 1904. 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 the Austin-Healey moved across the road, Levegh raised his hand. It's easy to find reports of the crash today that talk about how desensitized the public was to the crash. Chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut had gone to the Jaguar pits to ask if the Jaguar team would respond in kind, out of respect for the crash victims. [2] Sixteen during the race itself, five during pre-race practice and testing sessions, and one en route to the race. In the end the enquiry ruled that no specific driver was responsible for the crash, and that it was merely a terrible racing incident. 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. During a downpour of rain at dusk, Brussin entered the Dunlop Curve too fast and rolled after hitting an earth bank. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is safer, much safer, than it was in 1955, but it is still a deadly track. The official government inquiry into the accident called officials, drivers, and team personnel to be questioned and give evidence. 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. [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). But you quickly start to see people running towards the smoldering wreck, hoping to rescue anyone still alive. He invented traffic safety devices currently in use on highways, including the sand-and-air-filled Fitch barrels. Below is that interview in full. The images may be black and white but even the faded frames of a tragedy 65 years ago still pack a powerful punch. The final verdict assigned blame to no one. [36], The official government inquiry into the accident called officials, drivers, and team personnel to be questioned and give evidence. Even for the 50's I am surprised they kept on racing. Vintage Everyday (AP Photo/Jimmy Prickett). 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. [9][14], The critical kink in the road put the car on a direct trajectory toward the packed terraces and grandstand. Lance Macklin, who had just been lapped in his slower Austin-Healey moved across to avoid Hawthorn and Levegh ran into the back of his car. In the background are the pit stalls for the racers. 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. In the current world of social distancing, it is hard to imagine the crowd of spectators who had squeezed into Le Mans on the afternoon of June 11, 1955. France in particular, as the host of Le Mans, lifted their complete ban on 14 September 1955. Indeed, the German company withdrew from all motor racing at the end of that season and did not return until 1987. An initial news report claims 82 spectators killed, some decapitated by a flying hood "like a guillotine." Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies . He was among the dead. On that date, the Ministry of the Interior released new regulations for racing events and codified the approval process that future racing events would need to follow. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Extricating the Dead and Dying. "He came alongside me, and I gave him the thumbs-up sign as he overtook me to wish him luck. . 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. Fangio never raced at Le Mans again. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Getting out, he was immediately ordered by his team to get back in and do another lap to get away from the total confusion and danger. Even then, it took hours for that Mercedes boss to reach his superiors and get their approval to withdraw their cars. "[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. Most spectators at the race were still oblivious to the accident that just happened. 1955 June 11 Race car at Le Mans crashes into spectators, killing 82 On June 11, 1955, a racing car in Le Mans, France, goes out of control and crashes into stands filled with. At Arnage during the final hours of the race, Marchal's Aston Martin spun while attempting to pass another competitor. Other observers estimated the toll to be much higher. 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. 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. France and Switzerland both banned motor racing after Le Mans. At 125 miles an hour, "he had no chance to do so himself.". Exiting the Tertre Rouge corner, Larivire lost control of his car and launched over a sandbank along the. You can read a recent interpretation from a lawyer right here for a deeper look into what it would take to assign definitive blame. The images may be black and white but even the faded frames of a tragedy 65 years ago still pack a powerful punch. It was Hawthorn's Jaguar that started the whole incident, after all. Paul Frere - It is completely clear from these photographs that Hawthorn did not make a sudden-brake-and-pull-sharp-right manoeuvre only a short distance from the pits Tony Bailey No use without acknowledgement Plagiarism of this site will NOT be tolerated Home Home [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. I should say that the 'pits' were completely undivided from the racetrack back then. It decided that auto racing detracted from its primary goals, and the United States Automobile Club was formed to take over the race sanctioning and officiating. In the history of racing disasters, the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans tragedy still exists in a category of . Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. Find Le Mans Disaster stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images.