As callous as that might sound, there was a justifiable reason. Other observers estimated the toll to be much higher. 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. 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. Levegh's wife was inconsolable and Fitch stayed with her until she could be comforted. 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 Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Levegh's Mercedes flipped into the air and struck the sandbank at the side of the track. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The dead and dying were everywhere; the cries of pain, anguish, and despair screamed catastrophe. In the background are the pit stalls for the racers. 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 significant chunk of the car slammed into a concrete structure and disintegrated, causing the fuel tank to explode. [36], The official government inquiry into the accident called officials, drivers, and team personnel to be questioned and give evidence. The protagonists were Pierre Levegh representing Mercedes, Mike Hawthorn driving for Jaguar, and Lance Macklin of the Austin-Healey team. Racing fuel exploded. Being 98 years old, it is the oldest endurance racing event. Browse 305 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. On 10 June 2009, the Stnderat (upper house of the Swiss parliament) defeated a proposal to lift the ban for the second time. 1955 - the Le Mans Crash in 90+ pictures from the Mike Hawthorn Tribute Site. The French magazine LAuto-Journal published it with the sarcastic caption, votre sant, Monsieur Hawthorn! (In English, To your health (Cheers), Mr. Hawthorn!). Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. It ended with the usual champagne, as well. Just behind Hawthorn was a much slower Austin-Healey, actually a lap down on Hawthorn. 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 stood as if in a dream, too horrified to even think. The Worst Accident in Motorsports History (1955 Le Mans Disaster) - YouTube 0:00 / 2:27 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Despite expectations for the race to be red-flagged and stopped entirely, race officials, led by race director Charles Faroux, kept the race running. My instant reaction when he did it was, 'Bloody Mike Hawthorn, he must be out of his mind!' The pits and grandstands had been reconstructed, but there were no barriers between the pit lane and the racing line, and only a 4ft (1.2m) earthen bank between the track and the spectators. [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). In the middle as many as 130 died in the most horrific disaster in motorsports history. Three years ago, another Audi crashed and nearly careened over a low wall into a large row of photographers. The grandstand was demolished and rebuilt with new spectator terraces and a wide ditch between them and the racetrack. 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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. [2] Sixteen during the race itself, five during pre-race practice and testing sessions, and one en route to the race. The Ferraris, current champions at the time, were very fast but fragile and prone to mechanical failure. They use them to cover one of the bodies in the road. The car landed on the earthen embankment between the spectators and the track, bounced, then slammed into a concrete stairwell structure and disintegrated. 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. The Le Mans organizers did not actually stop the race. 'The hood decapitated tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine': Le Mans '55 and the worst disaster in motorsports history, Palhinha stunner helps Fulham into FA Cup quarter final, Division Two moving weekend affords Cork chance to right wrongs of recent Clare record, Longstaff bids to fulfil final dream with Magpies after lost years, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for re-election in Estonia vote, Thai cave boys ashes arrive home from UK for final farewell, Chinese defence spending boost to meet complex security challenges, Injuries opening door to Irish team for O'Brien, Cork farmer given less than three weeks to sell 80 animals left in 'chronic neglect', Cork woman Margaret Buttimer jailed for abusing Ukrainian refugees at Bandon hotel, Cork soccer club says CCTV footage shows discrepancies with referee abuse claims. I stood as if in a dream, too horrified to even think., Mike Hawthorn and the Jaguar team kept racing. 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. Registered in Ireland: 523712. The death toll led to an immediate temporary ban on motorsports in France, Spain, Switzerland, West Germany, and other nations, until racetracks could be brought to a higher safety standard. Once it was extinguished, there was nothing left but the frame. The car overturned and exploded in flames following impact, killing Enjolras instantly. Eighty-three spectators and driver Pierre Levegh died and 120 more were injured in the most catastrophic accident in motorsport history. The final verdict assigned blame to no one. Last year, Aston Martin GT driver Allan Simonsen died when he crashed into an insufficiently protected tree. outstanding team of sports writers. Browse 311 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. [42] The car retained the original engine SPL 261-BN,[41] but was reported to be in 'barn find' condition. 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. Hawthorn and Bueb won the race by an easy margin of five laps from Aston Martin. Parcourez 176photos et images disponibles de. You can read a recent interpretation from a lawyer right here for a deeper look into what it would take to assign definitive blame. 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. [25][26] Their retirement was briefly announced over the public address system. 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. 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. 2023 Getty Images. Look at how dense the crowd was. "Mike could have been mistaken about how fast my car was going," Macklin would tell Sports Illustrated in a 1986 interview. Levegh crashed into the back of the Austin-Healey. Two hours later, photographers captured priests performing last rites. The rear of Leveghs car landed on the berm and exploded into flames. - Fast forward two hours and 26 minutes later, and disaster struck. 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. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of extricating . Now it's recorded that Mercedes pulled out of the race following the crash. Levegh rear-ended Macklin at high speed, overriding Macklins car and launching his own car through the air. ". 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. Future British F1 champion Mike Hawthorn drove for Jaguar and then-F1 champion Fangio drove for Mercedes, along with British phenom Stirling Moss, American John Fitch, and Frenchman Pierre Levegh. [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. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. You have accepted push notifications for this content. 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. 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. . Macklin, who also braked hard, ran off the right-hand edge of the track, throwing up dust. [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. 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. However, an inopportune press photograph showed Hawthorn smiling on the podium swigging from the victors bottle of champagne. Extricating the Dead and Dying. 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. During the closing period of the preliminary practice session, Weber took an unscheduled lap of the circuit. There was the inevitable finger-pointing as to whose fault this event was, but everyone was absolved of blame after a thorough investigation. I am including all of his pictures preserved by the AP, as well as all of the photographs taken by the AP itself. Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, watching from the pit wall, recalled, The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. The images may be black and white but even the faded frames of a tragedy 65 years ago still pack a powerful punch. This forced Swiss racing promoters to organize circuit events in foreign countries including France, Italy, and West Germany. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. In its silence, you sense the horror of what's being recorded. Vintage Everyday The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. The accident happened at 6:26 pm, at the end of lap 35, when the first pit stops for the leading cars were starting. In terms of human toll, it is the most catastrophic accident in motorsports history. The most recent death is Allan Simonsen, who died in the race of 2013. Most spectators at the race were still oblivious to the accident that just happened. This was only a few hours after the crash. [30], Most countries lifted their racing bans within a year after the disaster. (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. The AP reports that they were trying to beat out the flames on Levegh. Find Le Mans Disaster stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The Mercedes trucks were packed up and gone by morning. It was an appalling tragedy that shocked the world and changed the face of motorsports forever. "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. I should say that the 'pits' were completely undivided from the racetrack back then. 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. . These big wigs included Ferrari, Jaguar, and Mercedes Benz, who were past winners of the competition. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. Mike-Hawthorn.org.uk hosts right here a 1993 report on the race, and includes a comment from 'Lofty' England, the Jaguar team boss. When the rest of Levegh's car landed on the embankment, the rear-mounted fuel tank exploded. 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. I stood as if in a dream, too horrified to even think."[17][18]. Everything slows right down as if you were watching a slow-motion film. It's important to look at why so many people died that medical attention was so poor, that the Mercedes so easily split into multiple parts and sprayed out its fuel, that the crowd was so poorly protected. Extricating the Dead and Dying. These were the days of patriots racing Red, Blue, Green, White and Silver cars for the national glory of their country. The other team cars were being kept on tighter leashes to conserve the cars, but still racing in the top ten. The car split into three pieces. The healthy carry bodies away from the wreckage. Life reported that it was days before drivers put together exactly what happened and the public at large learned the gravity of the crash. Two hours after the start, 77 were killed and another 77 injured when Pierre Le Veghs Mercedes somersaulted into the crowd. [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]. The investigations and reviews of the accident continued for a year and a half afterwards. One newsreel, minutes after describing the crash, goes on to talk about a car getting stuck in a sandy embankment. A further 120 people were injured. Levegh rear-ended Macklin at high speed, overriding Macklin's car and launching his own car through the air. Large. 0. Also, to a certain level to know which car makes the lowest pit stops throughout the race. Police managed to drag the Austin-Healey to the other side of the track. '"[6][7] The lap before, Hawthorn's pit crew had signalled for him to come in the next lap. 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. Exiting the Tertre Rouge corner, Larivire lost control of his car and launched over a sandbank along the. There was much debate over blame for the disaster. 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. It was the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to retire from motor racing until 1989. As a result, Macklin's car veered across to the centre of the track, apparently briefly out of control. This was indeed one of the most terrible accidents in the early decades of motorsports. In the days after the disaster, several explanations were offered by Faroux for this course of action. On the one hand: worst accident in autoracing so far, with one dead pilot and about 80 dead spectators. NOJ393 after its restoration by Steve Pike and before its sale at auction by Bonhams. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of . RELATED: 10 Of The Coolest Le Mans Prototypes No One Remembers. 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. Pierre Eugne Alfred Bouillin (22 December 1905 - 11 June 1955) was a French sportsman and racing driver. Macklin also decided to retire after being involved in another fatal crash, during the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Dundrod Circuit. French magazin L'Auto-Journal published the image with the sarcastic laden caption, votre sant, Monsieur Hawthorn. ("To your health, Mr Hawthorn."). 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. "He came alongside me, and I gave him the thumbs-up sign as he overtook me to wish him luck. 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. Noticing that Hawthorn was slowing down, Macklin swerved left to avoid Hawthorn, whether it was an instinctive reaction, a loss of control from going onto the change of road-surface, or his car's disc brakes operating unevenly. 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 police officer helps carry out an injured man, dazed. Drivers run to their cars for the start of the Le Mans 24 hour race in Le Mans, France on June 11, 1955. Even then, it took hours for that Mercedes boss to reach his superiors and get their approval to withdraw their cars. 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. 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. 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. In picture, shown on Finishing Straight, car numbered '25' (Jaguar Works, XKD 605, 'long-nose') was 6th at Le Mans in 1956. Show more. [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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. That being said, while the Audi successfully protected its driver, it hit an unprotected, hard wall. "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. [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. [34] The ban was lifted in May 2022.[35]. The French magazine L'Auto-Journal published it with the sarcastic caption, " votre sant, Monsieur Hawthorn!" The 24 Hours of Le Mans is safer, much safer, than it was in 1955, but it is still a deadly track. 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 engine and front axle cut a swath like an artillery barrage. The behemoths of sports racing all featured their sports cars with their respective drivers for another car racing festival. Browse 312 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. At the Circuit de la Sarthe, the audience stands at the pits were demolished. died when he crashed into an insufficiently protected tree, crashed and nearly careened over a low wall into a large row of photographers. His car skidded off the road on a wet British highway in 1959. This became the semi-official pronouncement of the Mercedes-Benz team and Macklins story. This put him into the path of Levegh's Mercedes, closing in at over 200km/h (120mph), intent on doing another lap and in front of Fangio, who was patiently waiting to pass. D-Type Jaguars won the Le Mans 24hr endurance race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Maybe that's what makes these pictures still so very chilling. The official government inquiry into the accident called officials, drivers, and team personnel to be questioned and give evidence. As his, Woolfe had purchased one of the new and high-powered Porsche 917s, and Porsche's own, RD140 (between Mulsanne and Indianapolis). The circuit goes through a dedicated section of the racing track too. [39], Fitch became a major safety advocate and began active development of safer road cars and racing circuits. He took the racing name Pierre Levegh [lvk] in memory of his uncle, a pioneering driver who died in 1904. It's not long before you see bodies piled up. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Le Mans 11th June 1955. Cole was thrown from the car and died at the scene. The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. However, a press photograph showed Hawthorn smiling on the podium drinking from the victor's bottle of champagne. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. With the Mercedes-Benz team withdrawn and the Ferraris all broken, Jaguars main competition had gone. The greatest carmakers in the world were competing, as were the best drivers. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. Both Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz issued official statements, mainly in self-defense against the accusations leveled against them and their drivers. It was the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from motor racing until 1989. By 1955, top speeds for the leading cars were over 270km/h (170mph). Fifty-nine years ago, the 1955 Le Mans 24-hour race started like any other. "As I was rolling along backward I saw Levegh's car following me in the air, with Levegh sort of hunched over in the cockpit. 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. 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. Hawthorn and his co-driver Ivor Bueb won the race the next afternoon. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Select from premium Le Mans Disaster of the highest quality. 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. Search instead in. And the car's magnesium body burst into flames like a torch, burning others to death.. 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. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. In 2003, the Federal Assembly of Switzerland started a lengthy discussion about whether this ban should be lifted. Bueb in particular was very reluctant, but given Hawthorn's condition had no choice, as Dewis firmly pointed out to him.[3]. Levegh died in the 1955 Le Mans disaster which also killed 83 spectators during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans automobile race. 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. The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly 12 months after the catastrophe. 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. 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. But it's wrong to try and point fingers. 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. 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. 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. This is another in the series made by US soldier Jimmy Prickett of Electra, Texas. 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. The disaster at Le Mans heralded a new era for motorsports with more technological innovations to improve sports cars and driver's safety. I've seen many shots of the '55 disaster, but never all of them in one place outside of the AP archives. Other bodies are scattered near the picket fence where the Mercedes racer crashed. In the United States, the American Automobile Association (AAA) dissolved their Contest Board that had been the primary sanctioning body for motorsport in the US (including the Indianapolis 500) since 1904. Flying metal following the explosion killed some 80 and injured many spectators. Pierre Levegh, aged 49, had been hired by Mercedes-Benz . Everything started when Hawthorn in his Jaguar cut in for the pits. 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. 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. That said, many contemporary race reports treat the crash unbelievably mildly. Browse 265 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 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. After his victory, Hawthorn celebrated with champagne. With Levegh dead, Macklin presumed that Hawthorn's implication was that he (Macklin) had been responsible, and he began a libel action. His Mercedes Benz clipped the edge of the Austin Healey and was launched skywards. I did not discuss who might have been to blame but said that I believed the organizers had been right to continue the race and that Mercedes, having continued to race for more than six hours after the accident, I could not see the point in them withdrawing, and I did not intend to pull out the cars. Other observers estimated the toll to be much higher. [3] Levegh was thrown out of his tumbling car and hit the ground, crushing his skull upon impact and killing him instantly. [14] The bonnet lid scythed through the air, "decapitating tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. France in particular, as the host of Le Mans, lifted their complete ban on 14 September 1955. Stewart's campaign gained momentum after the deaths of Lorenzo Bandini and Jim Clark. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand.

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