The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a major accident that took place on 11 June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Massive pieces of debris smashed into the crowd which killed 83 spectators as well as French driver Pierre Levegh, and injuring nearly 180 more. It was the most devastating crash in motorsport history, and it led Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from motor racing up to 1989.The incident began when Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn pulled to the right-hand side of the track the direction of Austin-Healey driver Lance Macklin and started braking to stop for pit stops. Macklin was able to steer away from behind the slowing Jaguar into the path of Levegh who was passing on the left in his much faster Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Levegh rear-ended Macklin at a high rate in a collision that pushed Macklin's car off the road and sending his own vehicle through the air. Levegh's car skidded over an earthen berm at 200km/h (125mph), and made at most two impacts within the area of spectators. The last one caused the car's suspension to break and eject, landing him on the track which was where he was dead. Large chunks of debris including the Mercedes engine block, radiator, along with the front suspension, bonnet, and bonnet were thrown to the crowds near the grandstand. The rear end of the Levegh's vehicle was thrown over the berm, and exploded into flames.
No comments:
Post a Comment