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Video Documentary: The Deadliest Crash – The 1955 Le Mans Disaster

Submitted by on August 3, 20115 Comments

It was the most horrific, and deadliest crash in the history of motor racing. On June 11, 1955, at the Le Mans 24-hour race, at least 83 spectators were killed and hundreds more injured when the burning remains of  Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes 300SLR , flew into the crowd­ after a crash with Mike Hawthorn on the pit straight. The infield area containing cheering ­fans became a black,” hysterical horror,” according to Time magazine.

This BBC documentary looks at the story of the disaster and why it provoked conspiracy theories, blame and scandal. Was the mysterious explosion caused by Mercedes gambling all on untried technologies? Did they compound it by using a lethal fuel additive? Have the French authorities been covering up the truth ever since? Or was the winner, the doomed British star Mike Hawthorn, guilty of reckless driving and did his desire to win at all costs start the terrible chain of events?

 

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  • Jim C

    Well done, for the most part. Why no subtitles for the French speakers? Also, Le Mans was not the longest track, then or since. Spa was slightly longer, and the Nurburgring is much longer.

  • David ‘n Noah

    Great production and documentation of a breathtakingly tragic event.

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  • Bob G

    The author above has made several glaring errors in his statements above First the crash was not with Hawthorne but Lance Macklins Healey when he rode up over the left rear fender which launched the Mercedes. There were no compounds in the fuel that would not have been known to the scrutineers. The terrible fire was due to the body being magnisium. The French did not cover anything up. You can read the original court findings.They would have loved to crucify the Germans so soon after WWII. If any coverup did occur it was by Lofty England covering the Jaguar Team and Hawthorne. Hawthorne wanted to admit that it was all his fault for his last braking move and sudden dive to the pits which almost took out Fangio who would later find green paint on his car. It was that close. Poor Lance Macklins went to the grave feeling the guilt for an accident that was very much not his fault. There are several good books that have recently born all this out. The Author should have read them.