I ended up watching all four parts, I don't recall hearing about that crash either. Mind boggling that they let the race continue.
carkitter,
Jan 31, 3:21pm
They felt they had to, otherwise the spectators leaving the track would jam the roads preventing the ambulances from arriving.
That was a golden age of motorsport with real heroes and villians. I have a copy of Hawthorn's second book Champion Year which is a diary of his 1958 F1 Champoinship winning season written just prior to his death. It's a fantastic read.
Proably some buses crashes in India, or South America exceed this. However in Spain there was LPG tanker that crashed and exploded killing over 200.
rsr72,
Jan 31, 4:32pm
---American Austen-Healey Lance Macklin slowed in front, and across the track, of the pits as French Mercedes-Benz driverdriver Pierre Levegh was coming up to pass at full speed. The flying engine caused most of the casualties. Levegh was driving the full 24 hrs on his own.
carkitter,
Jan 31, 4:43pm
You managed to get that entire statement wrong from start to finish.
Austin Healey driver Lance Macklin had been overtaken by Mike Hawthorn, who then slowed to enter the pit area. Macklin had slid on the grass at the edge of the track at this time and combined with Hawthorn's unexpected deceleration, swerved to avoid a collision. This put him in the path of the fast approaching Pierre Levegh who hit the ramp-like sloping back of the Austin Healey and was launched into the air.
Levegh was a French national hero having previously run at Le Mans single-handedly only to crash in the late stages when leading. In 1955 Levegh was partnered with American John Fitch.
mercbens,
Jan 31, 4:58pm
Years ago I was at a Motor Club meeting when Lance Macklin was the guest speaker. He had moved from England and was then living in NZ near to Wellington. He gave us his version of the crash which was the same as poster #9. He had been passed and then the car in front slowed to enter the pits, he was forced to move over and his car was hit from behind by the Mercedes which was launched into the crowd from the sloping tail of his Austin Healey. Mercedes retired from racing after that and did not return for a number of years. Very tragic
carkitter,
Jan 31, 5:07pm
In his first book 'Challenge Me, The Race' Hawthorn denied responibility for the incident thereby inferring that it was Macklin's fault. Macklin sued Hawthorn for libel and the suit was on-going until Hawthorn's death in 1959.
bill-robinson,
Jan 31, 5:26pm
As a result of that crash at Le mans Switzerland banned motor racing.
rsr72,
Jan 31, 5:28pm
#9 - Just exactly as I said,and in only two sentences for brevity.
rsr72,
Jan 31, 5:35pm
I will agree he was paired with Fitch on this occasion.
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 5:44pm
cheers for posting. i will be sure to watch it, as soon as my puter downloads, should be about midnight tonight.
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 6:38pm
haha still downloading. broadband my ass.
rsr72,
Jan 31, 6:41pm
Check your broadband speed on www.speedtest.net. Download should be around 6.00/9.00 mbs.
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 6:42pm
dude. if i open another page it will be even slower. besides, 6-9 what! KPH haha
rsr72,
Jan 31, 6:47pm
Just checked mine and it's slowed to crawl. Wonder what's up with xtra!
rob_man,
Jan 31, 6:59pm
I liked the old school take on seat belts, you were better off to be thrown clear of the car.
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 7:02pm
I once had a debate with a one percenter. He argued that helmets were dangerous because if you came off, and slid under a fence, the helmet would catch on the bottom of the fence and break your neck, thus suggesting no helmet would allow you to slide right under. (im still dowloading by the way, about 80 percent)
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 7:15pm
i have to admit papariccardo, i dont use the keepvid link because i have no idea what the hell it is and what the hell to do with it. I have finally finished downloading. phew. thats an hour and a half for a 15 minute vid. oh well, time to watch it.
rob_man,
Jan 31, 7:20pm
Ummmm. there are another three parts, all 15 minutes.
carkitter,
Jan 31, 7:22pm
Bad news - that's the first of four parts, the whole thing is one hour long.
Edit: the vid is in 240p, 360p or 480p
bigjerry,
Jan 31, 7:26pm
F**#EN son of a C%&T.MOTHER%$@*** ASS! haha. so i just started watching it.put it on full screen, and the red line dissapeared and it started buffering again.rant over.
wrong2,
Jan 31, 9:26pm
i dont get how you people havent heard about this. its the reason MB were out of motor racing for so long
they are super sensitive regarding their racing activities forever more . they dropped the entire CLR program after mark webbers flips
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