Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. The pieces of the Mercedes ripped through the crowd, crushing and decapitating. As a contemporary issue of LIFE states, it was to signal to Fangio behind him to slow down. 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. The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. [14] The bonnet lid scythed through the air, "decapitating tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. The announcer claims that the sand trap has "claimed another victim." The deadliest crash ever in motor sports history happened in Le Mans, France, on June 12, 1955. A single accident that caused death and destruction on an unprecedented scale. 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. . Macklin is startled at not having the more technologically advanced disc brakes as the Jaguar, which leads him to move to the right, kicking up dirt before veering towards the center of the track. In the history of racing disasters, the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans tragedy still exists in a category of . The grandstand was demolished and rebuilt with new spectator terraces and a wide ditch between them and the racetrack. Show more. [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). [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. Waiting until 1:45 am, when many spectators had left, he stepped onto the track and quietly called his cars into the pits, at the time running first and third. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Browse 63 1955 le mans disaster stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The car landed on the earthen embankment between the spectators and the track, bounced, then slammed into a concrete stairwell structure and disintegrated. [25][26] Their retirement was briefly announced over the public address system. This is another in the series made by US soldier Jimmy Prickett of Electra, Texas. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of extricating . Below is that interview in full. France and Switzerland both banned motor racing after Le Mans. Putting another lap on Macklin coming up to the main straight, Hawthorn then raised his hand to indicate he was pitting and pulled across to the right (from Hawthorn's testimony). The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly twelve months after the catastrophe. Filmmaker Quentin Baillieux paints a picture of sport and tragedy at Circuit de la Sarthe. [14] Half an hour after the crash Fitch realised that news was probably being broadcast on the radio, and he needed to telephone his family to reassure them that he was not the driver of the crashed car. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Two hours later, photographers captured priests performing last rites. [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. [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. The wreckage was examined and tested and, finally, returned to Mercedes-Benz nearly 12 months after the catastrophe. Years later Fitch claimed, based on his own recollection and from what he heard from others, that Hawthorn had caused it. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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 dead and dying were everywhere; the cries of pain, anguish, and despair screamed catastrophe. At the time of his mistake, the Mercedes were running 2 and 3 twenty-five miles behind the Talbot! "Then there was a hell of a bang like a bomb had hit.". Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. . 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. Supposedly they were concerned that crowds of people leaving the track would keep ambulances from getting to those in need. Collect, curate and comment on your files. When he pit stopped during the next lap, he staggered out of the car completely distraught, adamant that he had caused the catastrophe. 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 lost control of the car three hours later in the early morning whilst approaching the Arnage esses and veered off the track on the left side and collided with an oak tree, killing the driver almost instantly with massive head and chest injuries. . 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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. "[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. It's not long before you see bodies piled up. [31] In contrast, Switzerland's ban, which also extended to the running of timed motorsports such as hillclimbs, was not quickly lifted. "The hood decapitated tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. I am including all of his pictures preserved by the AP, as well as all of the photographs taken by the AP itself. 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. Innocence - along with a tragic human toll - was lost forever. It is one part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. Life reported that it was days before drivers put together exactly what happened and the public at large learned the gravity of the crash. During trials the veteran. [14][3][18], Hawthorn had overshot his pits and stopped. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. The doctor laid the boy in his car. 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. 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. One British race report praised the variety of the field representing "a United Nations of motor racing." Levegh rear-ended Macklin at high speed, overriding Macklins car and launching his own car through the air. 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. With the Mercedes-Benz team withdrawn and the Ferraris all broken, Jaguars main competition had gone. Mike Hawthorn celebrating the 1955 Le Mans victory despite causing the deadliest accident in history of racing. 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. "Mike could have been mistaken about how fast my car was going," Macklin would tell Sports Illustrated in a 1986 interview. 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. It might have been the case that determined who was at fault once and for all, but Hawthorn died before the case could be resolved. Rassembler, slectionner et commenter vos fichiers. (AP Photo/Jimmy Prickett). The death of the spectators was blamed on inadequate safety standards for the track design. Fast forward two hours and 26 minutes later, and disaster struck. [Warning: graphic content]. In its silence, you sense the horror of what's being recorded. The car rolled over during the incident. Another 120 were "maimed," according to current writing, though initial news stories estimated around 70. 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. Even for the 50's I am surprised they kept on racing. 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 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. [36] Tertre Rouge was moved about 200m and new tyre barriers were installed at the exit in 2014. 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. [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. Even at the scene, it doesn't look like anyone knows what's going on. Most vehicle manufacturers focus on this particular race to test the fuel efficiency of their vehicles and know the viability of their cars and engines throughout the 24 hours rather than learning how fast their cars can go. His car skidded off the road on a wet British highway in 1959. It was an appalling tragedy that shocked the world and changed the face of motorsports forever. The Mercedes trucks were packed up and gone by morning. That said, the circuit had been resurfaced and widened after the Second World War. A special Mass was held in the morning in the Le Mans Cathedral for the first funerals of the victims. Eighty-four. But after Hawthorne makes the move, he suddenly decides to cut right and breaks very hard to enter his pit area. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. By year [ edit] References [ edit] ^ a b 24 FACTS ABOUT LE MANS' 24 HOURS Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, and a teammate of Hawthorn, watched the tragedy unfold from the pit wall. 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. Levegh would die before sunset. Switzerland's motorsports ban still stands today. The driver (Pierre Levegh) was killed, as were 83 spectators. Bianchi decided to start early as organisers were speculating a wet session later in the day. Here, a man holds the body of a child. 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. As his, Woolfe had purchased one of the new and high-powered Porsche 917s, and Porsche's own, RD140 (between Mulsanne and Indianapolis). Hawthorn retired from motorsport soon after but was ironically killed when overtaking a Mercedes on a slippery road near his Surrey home in 1959. Shortly after midnight Mercedes retired its cars from racing were running first and third. Entering the straight, his Matra veered off the inside of the track and exploded into flames. Eighty-three spectators and driver Pierre Levegh died and 120 more were injured in the most catastrophic accident in motorsport history. Life in Harlem in 1970 Photographed by Jack Garofalo, The Burning Monk: The Story Behind the Shocking and Iconic Image of Thich Quang Duc Immolating Himself on a Saigon Street, 1963. D-Type Jaguars won the Le Mans 24hr endurance race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. The Le Mans endurance race is organized by France's Automobile Club de L'Ouest and has been held . NEXT: Le Mans Hypercars And What It Means For Endurance Racing, Here's What Happened At The Tragic 1955 Le Mans Disaster, These Le Mans Racers Dominated The Worlds Most Famous Race, 10 Of The Coolest Le Mans Prototypes No One Remembers, Le Mans Hypercars And What It Means For Endurance Racing, Like A Phoenix: The Pontiac Sunfire Is The Affordable, Fun, American Coupe We Need, A New Toyota Celica Concept Shows What A Pure Toyota Sports Car Could Be Without BMW, A Modern Plymouth Road Runner Like This Could Shake Up Today's Pony Car Market, 10 Used German Performance Cars We'd Buy Over An American Muscle Car Any Day, The 2024 Chevrolet Impala SS: A Way To Save The Four-Door Muscle Car, 10 Most Reliable European Luxury Cars Ever. Levegh was killed outright as he was flung from the car and thrown onto the track. His Monopole flipped at Maison Blanche, trapping and killing the driver. The accident reportedly occurred in heavy fog. The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. Sign in The Worst Accident in. 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. An initial news report claims 82 spectators killed, some decapitated by a flying hood "like a guillotine." outstanding team of sports writers. At Arnage during the final hours of the race, Marchal's Aston Martin spun while attempting to pass another competitor. It was the turning point in the industry as considerable changes were made towards improving the safety of drivers and spectators. "The man was not injured by the flying debris, but his son was killed. 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. 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. 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. 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. ", 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. 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. 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. The circuit goes through a dedicated section of the racing track too. Newsreels show the crash itself, and police rushing to tear down advertising banners by the wreck. In the days after the disaster, several explanations were offered by Faroux for this course of action. There was the inevitable finger-pointing as to whose fault this event was, but everyone was absolved of blame after a thorough investigation. This was only a few hours after the crash. 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. [9][14], The critical kink in the road put the car on a direct trajectory toward the packed terraces and grandstand. An explosion followed, sending metal into the crowd of spectators. 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 car overturned and exploded in flames following impact, killing Enjolras instantly. But it's wrong to try and point fingers. This became the semi-official pronouncement of the Mercedes team and Macklin's story. In the background are the pit stalls for the racers. Browse 265 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. It remains the worst disaster in motorsports history. (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. What stands out in these pictures is the confusion. 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. Years later Fitch claimed, based on his own recollection and from what he heard from others, that Hawthorn had caused it. 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. Simplifiez votre flux de travail avec notre systme de gestion des fichiers numriques. But you quickly start to see people running towards the smoldering wreck, hoping to rescue anyone still alive. 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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 circuit at Le Mans is incredibly long, and information was even more sparse away from the immediate vicinity of the crash. 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 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. 2023 Getty Images. By 1955, top speeds for the leading cars were over 270km/h (170mph). 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. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies . As callous as that might sound, there was a justifiable reason. The 1955 Le Mans tragedy was deemed a terrible accident but in truth was the end of an era that would never come again. Macklin claimed that Hawthorn's move to the pits was sudden, causing an emergency that led him to swerve into Levegh's path. [36], The official government inquiry into the accident called officials, drivers, and team personnel to be questioned and give evidence. The final verdict assigned blame to no one. "He came alongside me, and I gave him the thumbs-up sign as he overtook me to wish him luck. [40], Macklin's Austin-Healey 100 was sold to several private buyers before appearing on the public auction block. "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. It was a sort of victory for motorsports somehow, a pyrrhic victory, albeit. At the time, it took over six hours for the team to withdraw its cars. [3], Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, watching from the pit wall, recalled, "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. 0. 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. With the Mercedes team withdrawn and the Ferraris all out of commission, Jaguar's main competition had gone. Its sloping back acted like a ramp for Levegh's Mercedes, however, which flew into the air. then went back and tried to rescue others.". He recalled: "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. 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 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. Bueb in particular was very reluctant, but given Hawthorn's condition had no choice, as Dewis firmly pointed out to him.[3]. There was also the criticism of the winner Mike Hawthorne for celebrating excessively, but he pushed back, saying it was no fault of his. The rear of Leveghs car landed on the berm and exploded into flames. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of . Neubauer got the French authorities to test residual fuel left in the wreck's fuel injection and the result vindicated the company. It ended with the usual champagne, as well. Both Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz issued official statements, mainly in self-defense against the accusations leveled against them and their drivers. Even then, it took hours for that Mercedes boss to reach his superiors and get their approval to withdraw their cars. 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. Select from premium Le Mans Disaster of the highest quality. Stewart's campaign gained momentum after the deaths of Lorenzo Bandini and Jim Clark. One spectator actually recorded the crash head-on. It's hard to say just how many people died in the crash. Le Mans, France: The wreckage of the death car and bodies of some of the victims felled by the explosion on Saturday. 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. When the rest of Levegh's car landed on the embankment, the rear-mounted fuel tank exploded. Drivers run to their cars for the start of the Le Mans 24 hour race in Le Mans, France on June 11, 1955. . [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 Lola was completely destroyed, debris from the car were all around the forest, Bonnier had been killed upon impact. 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. Neubauer limited himself to suggesting improvements to the pit straight and making pit-stops safer. [32][33] In 2015, the ban was relaxed for electric vehicles only, such as cars involved in Formula E electric racing. Look at how dense the crowd was. The accident happened at 6:26 pm, at the end of lap 35, when the first pit stops for the leading cars were starting. 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. 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. Extricating the Dead and Dying. (In English, "To your health ('Cheers'), Mr. In terms of human toll, it is the most catastrophic accident in motorsports history. Racing fuel exploded. "I believe he wanted to turn the car over at his stop, still in the lead. Tony Rolt and other drivers had been raising concerns about the pit straight since 1953. Le design Getty Images est une marque de Getty Images.
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