Motor Sports Worst Accident By Brenda Williams At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

The 24 Hour LeMans is one of the largest and most famous endurance sports car races in the world. It is also one of the oldest that is still operating. The idea of an around the clock drive was conceived as a test of the reliability and endurance of man and machine to maintain a continuous high speed for twenty-four hours over a challenging course. It is an annual event held near LeMans in France. While accidents are common at motor races, none have equalled the horrific incident that occurred at the 1955 event. Two factors are of primary importance in an auto race – the skill of the driver and the quality of the car.

The 1955 race would soon become a duel between the British Jaguar Type D and the Mercedes 300SLR. Germany had spent considerable time and effort in preparing its entry however the car had one weakness. It was equipped with drum brakes while the British machine had disc brakes giving it a quick braking advantage. After about two hours into the competition, the British driver, Mike Hawthorn decided to make a pit stop, slowing down and braking his car. Lance Macklin, driving in back of Hawthorn, slammed his brakes and pulled to the left. Pierre Levegh, who was following Macklin, raised his arm to signal Juan Fangio to slow down. Levegh's car, unable to brake quickly, then struck Macklin's and careened off the side, landing on an embankment. It then somersaulted along the embankment as the magnesium body ignited and flames spread everywhere.

As the car disintegrated, parts flew into the crowd. One row of spectators was decapitated by the flying hood. Some were killed by flying parts and others were burned to death. Figures do not agree on the number of people killed and injured but seventy-seven to eighty three were reported killed and at least seventy-six injured. Macklin's car spun around in the track and hit the pit killing a mechanic. Macklin was able to walk away from the crash. Fangio later expressed his gratitude for Levegh's signal, crediting the signal with saving his life.
It is somewhat prophetic that Levegh had stated just prior to the race, "We have to get some sort of signal system working; our cars are too fast."

The organizers decided to continue the race, as they were afraid that if they stopped it, the crowd of people departing from the stands would create traffic that would interfere with the work of the ambulances and fire trucks. When word of the accident reached Germany, the authorities withdrew their other teams out of respect for Levegh. Hawthorn eventually won the competition. However, there were many who blamed his braking for initiating the chain of events that caused the carnage. But the official investigation that took place following the accident cleared him of blame and called it "a racing incident.'

Nevertheless, the incident had a profound effect on racing. Some European countries implemented bans on the sport. France spent over $600,000 to improve the course. New regulations defining limitations on engine size, limiting the time a driver could be behind the wheel, and specifying the number of drivers on a team were all implemented prior to the 1956 race.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=419829&ca=Automotive

Important Notice DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.