Indeed, the German company withdrew from all motor racing at the end of that season and did not return until 1987. The body fell one way, the engine broke free and shot off, and the hood and front axle flew further. In the background of the picture below, you can see people on the other side of the track, standing on top of teams' pit garages, trying to see how bad things were. Simplifiez votre flux de travail avec notre systme de gestion des fichiers numriques. Pierre Levegh, in a Mercedes Benz, was next on the scene. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Tirez parti du rseau mondial GettyImages, avec plus de 340 000 crateurs, pour dvelopper un contenu exclusif, cr spcialement pour votre marque. Here you can see the damage it took and how it could've acted like a ramp. These were the days of patriots racing Red, Blue, Green, White and Silver cars for the national glory of their country. 1950s, accident & disaster, event & history, footage & video, france, Le Mans, sports, vehicles [3], Jaguar driver Duncan Hamilton, watching from the pit wall, recalled, "The scene on the other side of the road was indescribable. 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. My instant reaction when he did it was, 'Bloody Mike Hawthorn, he must be out of his mind!' Jaguar went on to win the race. 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. Hawthorn and Bueb won the race by an easy margin of five laps from Aston Martin. In 1955 Mercedes offered Levegh the opportunity to race with John Fitch in their 300SLR sports car. 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. 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. Browse 305 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Le Mans, France: Rescue workers pursue the grim task of extricating . Vintage Everyday Le design Getty Images est une marque de Getty Images. In terms of human toll, it is the most catastrophic accident in motorsports history. However, there was a return to the sport in the '90s. The '55 Le Mans race looked like it would be one of the greatest since WWII. 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. The protagonists were Pierre Levegh representing Mercedes, Mike Hawthorn driving for Jaguar, and Lance Macklin of the Austin-Healey team. In the middle as many as 130 died in the most horrific disaster in. The pieces of the Mercedes ripped through the crowd, crushing and decapitating. 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. But you quickly start to see people running towards the smoldering wreck, hoping to rescue anyone still alive. 312 Le Mans 1955 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 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. The dead and dying were everywhere; the cries of pain, anguish, and despair screamed catastrophe. 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. The Ferraris, current champions at the time, were very fast but fragile and prone to mechanical failure. In the middle as many as 130 died in the most horrific disaster in motorsports history. 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. Dveloppez votre marque de manire authentique en partageant son contenu avec tous les crateurs Internet. The weather had closed in on Sunday morning and there was no victory celebration. [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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. With Levegh dead, Macklin presumed that Hawthorns implication was that he (Macklin) had been responsible, and he began a libel action. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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). 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. Leveghs car skipped over a protective earthen berm at 200 km/h (125 mph) and made at least two impacts within the spectator area, the last of which caused it to disintegrate, throwing him onto the track where he was instantly killed, and sending large pieces of debris into the packed spectator area in front of the grandstand, including the engine block, front suspension, and hood. 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. In the days after the disaster, several explanations were offered by Faroux for this course of action. Shortly after midnight Mercedes retired its cars from racing were running first and third. Eighty-four. "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. The official inquiry cleared all drivers of any fault. '"[6][7] The lap before, Hawthorn's pit crew had signalled for him to come in the next lap. The Austin-Healey driver had to swerve out of the way as Hawthorn darted into the pits. Search instead in Creative? 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. Neubauer got the French authorities to test residual fuel left in the wrecks fuel injection and the result vindicated the company. (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. Find Le Mans Disaster stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. In 1957, D-Types were placed 1-2-3-4-6, with only a solitary Ferrari in 5th spoiling the parade. I stood as if in a dream, too horrified to even think. The rear of Levegh's car landed on the berm and exploded into flames. "The hood decapitated tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. The grandstand was demolished and rebuilt with new spectator terraces and a wide ditch between them and the racetrack. Search instead in Creative? 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. Browse 265 le mans 1955 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. At the time, it took over six hours for the team to withdraw its cars. Additional details emerged when the stills reviewed by Frre were converted to video form. The main aim of the competition is basically to test the endurance of sports cars. Accdez au meilleur de Getty Images avec un simple abonnement. [39], Fitch became a major safety advocate and began active development of safer road cars and racing circuits. Bueb in particular was very reluctant, but given Hawthorn's condition had no choice, as Dewis firmly pointed out to him.[3]. Macklin claimed that Hawthorns move to the pits was sudden, causing an emergency that led him to swerve into Leveghs path. . With his eyes shut, Fangio with his own quick reflexes squeezed through the carnage and brushed Hawthorn's then-stationary Jaguar in the pits, allowing him to pass unscathed. It ended with the usual champagne, as well. With the Mercedes team withdrawn and the Ferraris all out of commission, Jaguar's main competition had gone. The car lacked the more effective state-of-the-art disc brakes featured on the rival Jaguar D-Type, instead incorporating inboard drum brakes and a large air brake behind the driver that could be raised to increase drag and slow the car.[2]. Mercedes-Benz won both of these events, and was able to secure the constructors championship for the season. But it's wrong to try and point fingers. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. With Levegh dead, Macklin presumed that Hawthorn's implication was that he (Macklin) had been responsible, and he began a libel action. The car overturned and exploded in flames following impact, killing Enjolras instantly. An explosion followed, sending metal into the crowd of spectators. Mike Hawthorne, the leader in the Jaguar, was getting close to the pit area as he approached driver Lance Macklin who he would lap. The investigation zeroed in on Hawthorns attempt to overtake British driver Lance Macklins Austin Healey and a sudden catastrophic decision to pit. . 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. The importance of the crash is not how two cars crashed into each other. Showing Editorial results for le mans 1955. 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. The French magazine LAuto-Journal published it with the sarcastic caption, votre sant, Monsieur Hawthorn! (In English, To your health (Cheers), Mr. Hawthorn!). Your brain acts so fast you can see everything, and I can remember as I was spinning I saw the timekeepers watching me from their booth. As a result, Macklin's car veered across to the centre of the track, apparently briefly out of control. At Arnage during the final hours of the race, Marchal's Aston Martin spun while attempting to pass another competitor. NOJ393 after its restoration by Steve Pike and before its sale at auction by Bonhams. Years later Fitch claimed, based on his own recollection and from what he heard from others, that Hawthorn had caused it. Here is a full view of the crash site from the nearby stands. 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. 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.

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