Le Mans Crazy Moments - 1955 DISASTER (Car Crash Breakdown)

[@Ben_the_Rosafan]

Someone totally needs to make a movie about Pierre Levegh. *Dreamed of winning Le Mans since he was a little boy, pretty much dedicated his entire life to winning it *Lost his prime years to WWII *Finished 4th in 1951 *Very nearly won the thing in 1952 driving the entire 24 hours all by himself (at age 46!!) only to DNF in the last hour with a broken connecting rod *Came back in 1955 frankly in over his head with Mercedes' car, ended up dying in the infamous crash and is now tragically remembered for all the wrong reasons

[@dxrlingsofmine]

I mean 👀👀, I kinda want to (can’t really do that because age). someone’s gotta take one for the team.

[@docrounds]

I just saw this, what a great breakdown of his life and what a great idea! If I ever get this page monetized and get the time, I might have to borrow this idea haha

[@docrounds]

Do it!

[@dennybakhtiarikhsan]

For what?

[@electron5271]

Great video. Unbelievable that the race continued. And mind boggling that back then they raced at those speeds with zero safety measures in place, in and out of the car. I guess it was a matter of time before a big accident happened. Humanity always seems to need a wake up call in the form of a disaster before people start making changes.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@electron5271 - Didn't you hear the commentator explain why authorities decided to continue the race?

[@TheTruthKiwi]

The safety measures literally hadn't been invented yet. They did foolishly stick to the "I'd rather get thrown out than be trapped in the car" mindset for far too long though obviously. Of course racing seats/belts, roll cages and a stiff chassis is much safer

[@AirInProductions]

@@TheTruthKiwithere didn’t need to be any special inventions for safety measures like keeping the audience further back, or having a wider shoulder for pit stops. I don’t think the Romans sat that close for chariot races!

[@golfer60193]

This is one of the greatest commentaries ever, great job!

[@docrounds]

Wow, thanks!

[@britishpatriot2276]

This is a crazy piece of history I had never heard about before. You done a great job at putting the clips together, explaining and just overall commentary 👏

[@docrounds]

I had the same reaction when I first heard the story, I'm glad it resonated! Thank you so much for watching and for the kind words!!

[@Praise___YaH]

Guys, HERE is The Savior YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified for our sins, NOT jesus, and “HERE IS THE PROOF” From the Ancient Semitic Scroll: "Yad He Vav He" is what Moses wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3) Ancient Semitic Direct Translation Yad - "Behold The Hand" He - "Behold the Breath" Vav - "Behold The NAIL"

[@malcolmmitchell6529]

Hard to believe you were unaware of this

[@dedurocortorum365]

Good document ! 1:34 The inboard pictures are from 1956 or later. We can see the arrangements between the track and the spectators area made after the disaster. 1:54 Nice view of the Pontlieue turn, in the town, which was used until 1931. Then the track from Dunlop curve to Tertre Rouge was made. 6:03 it's a spectator's body, not Levegh's which was found in the ditch.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for adding this context! I made the video to learn more about the history of the track, I tried to be as factual as possible but its great to get perspective from someone who truly knows the sport!!

[@dedurocortorum365]

@@docrounds it is always with pleasure that I contribute to any good commented video about this race. Next week, I will be there for the thirty-sixth time. :-)

[@docrounds]

That's so cool! Definitely a bucket list item now!! Thank you for the kind words as well

[@kevinmunday5782]

It was Like a real Life horror movie, as that wreckage flew through the crowd hitting men, Women and Children. One photographer Said the outcome was worse than any battlefield he had ever filmed before. But it is still History and We Need to learn about it.

[@docrounds]

Truly a tragedy and like you said, an important part of history that needs to live on. Thanks for watching!

[@vidiupload4174]

I've seen many videos on this subject, and this one is the most well-done, concise documentary so far, IMO.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much! I loved putting it together and nice comments like this have changed the trajectory of my life. I hope to be able to tell stories full time. Thank you again for stopping by and for the kind words!!

[@JollyDeacs11]

What a compelling story! Racing, Airline Travel, Boating, Sporting Events... the most unsafe era in history... no safety standards, win at all cost, pure manual mode, no automation... it's amazing more folks didn't parish during this time period! Great footage, not stock footage like those other bozos. Magnifico.

[@docrounds]

Yeah there's some crazy events in history that have led to the safety we take for granted today. I'd like to think we've gotten smarter but humans will always be dumb lol Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@odellgrimes1375]

Man, just think your standing in the crowd watching the race.. and suddenly A extremely hot engine crashing down On you and the people around you! Unbelievable tragedy!!

[@docrounds]

Has to be one of the craziest moments to ever be on film! I can't even imagine the tragedy. Appreciate you watching

[@ELECTRICMOTOCROSSMACHINE]

One of the best accounts of the 55 disaster. Great job.

[@docrounds]

Thank you! I didn't realize what a big piece of history I was covering when I made it, I just thought it was an interesting story that needed to be told, I'm glad I did it justice!

[@MrTelecasterIV]

Fine job on making this episode!! Keep up the good work.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the kinds words and support!

[@SB-bm5vf]

Unbelievable what man will do for fame and fortune - Great commentary Doc!

[@docrounds]

Fame is a powerful drug! Thank you kindly!

[@thesoultwins72]

@Doc Rounds..........[Part 2] The D-Type continued Jaguar's near-obsessive desire to beat their fiercest rivals, Mercedes-Benz. And whilst the C-Type significantly 'raised the bar' in race car design and production - the D-Type took this to extraordinary new levels. It was radically different, with innovative monocoque construction and slippery aerodynamics that incorporated aviation technology. [It was even fitted with a 'vertical stabiliser' behind the driver's seat]. Also and from 1955, all Le Mans D-Types had longer 'noses' to minimise drag even more. The designer was none other than the 'quiet genius' Malcolm Sayer [who joined Jaguar direct from the aircraft industry] and later designed the most beautiful sportscar ever created - the E-Type Jaguar. Like the C-Type, the D-Type was a racing phenomenon and its record is simply staggering. It won Le Mans in 1955 [the famous OKV 2], again in 1956 and also in 1957. Indeed, the D-type came 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th in the 1957 race - which demonstrates just how dominant the car was. In fact it should have won the 1954 Le Mans race too, but lost out due to fuel issues. That year's top teams - including Ferrari and Mercedes - had conceded that the D-Type was the best car and would easily win the race. So it was highly suspicious when all the D-types suffered from fuel issues and several cars had to retire. Although never proven, the Jaguar racing team have always maintained that their fuel was contaminated and deliberately sabotaged. [in those days, teams could not provide their own fuel - it had to be supplied by the race organisers]. To Jaguar, it was strongly felt that they had been 'cheated' out of victory - which only served to make them even more determined to come back the next year and win! They invested a great deal of time and energy in testing and improving the car for the 1955 race such was their fervour for Jaguar success. It would also explain why team manager 'Lofty' England literally ordered Mike Hawthorn to continue racing [and 'win for Jaguar'] despite the terrible carnage of the 1955 race. Of course, after the 1955 Le Mans disaster - Mercedes-Benz completely pulled out of competition racing so we will never know how the two cars would have stacked up against each other. But I am fairly confident in saying that the Jaguar D-type was distinctly the better of the two cars. Turning back to the race itself [and another of your slight errors] is that Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn, had been ignoring calls for him to come into the pits. In actuality, he was trying to build a lead over the Mercedes so he could take a pit-stop but still come out in front. Then as Hawthorne entered the start-finish straight, he inexplicably decided to go into the pits. Hawthorn veered dramatically to his right and braked heavily. This sudden manoeuvre caught out Lance Macklin [who was directly behind him and doing approximately 120kph]. Macklin had little choice but to swerve out from behind Hawthorn and into the path of the fast approaching Mercedes-Benz driven by Pierre Levegh, who was traveling at approx. 200kph. A collision was inevitable - but due to the sloping back-end of the 100S, the car merely served as a 'ramp', launching Levegh's Mercedes into the crowd. Crashing into the grass embankment, Levegh's Mercedes struck a concrete structure causing the car to explode and disintegrate into countless razor-sharp pieces of molten metal - which literally scythed through the spectators. [some eye witnesses stated that there were amputated heads, legs and arms everywhere!] Macklin struggled to keep his car under control [indeed, it is filmed careering backwards along the finishing straight] and was sent crashing into the pit area - injuring several people and according to some reports, killing a French policeman - before ricocheting to the other side of the track and coming to a stop. Unscathed, Macklin returned to the pits and found a highly disturbed Geoffrey Healey - who surveying the carnage on the opposite side of the track, hissed that they needed to 'get the hell out of here before the French find out how serious this is!' With that, the team gathered together whatever remaining cars, spare parts and supplies they could and left. In fact, the entire team were all back in England before the race ended! Unfortunately, they were forced to leave without Macklin's car [NOJ 393] which had promptly been impounded by the French authorities. Mercedes, [only after a protracted debate between team manager Alfred Neubauer, Levegh's American co-driver, John Fitch and Mercedes-Benz company directors at their HQ in Stuttgart] finally took the decision to withdraw from the race out of respect for the dead. Hawthorn, who was visibly shaken by the events and initially held himself to blame, also wanted to retire from the race. But was virtually ordered to continue by Jaguar team manager "Lofty" England to 'Go out there and win for Jaguar'. And so he did - although it was very much a hollow victory once the truly horrific details filtered through.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for taking the time to add that context and especially the personal anecdotes! Its always good to get further clarification from true historians. In regards to the Jaguar vs Mercedes comment, I read that Mercedes was the favorite thanks to the SLR and just having won the 1955 World Sportscar Championship in dominant fashion. So Mercedes was coming into this race with momentum, but I do want to give the proper respect to Jaguar, they certainly had a great chance to win as well.

[@thesoultwins72]

@@docrounds ......You are most welcome!

[@thesoultwins72]

@Doc Rounds........A very interesting and highly detailed account of the 'Le Mans Disaster' [as it has since been labelled]. However, I would like to add some additional details as well as correct some slight errors* in your commentary. Firstly, in the early 1980's, I bought a 1953 Austin-Healey BN1 '100/4' - which was the first of the Austin-Healey's produced by the Healey Motor Company [owned by father and son - Donald & Geoffrey Healey], in partnership with Austin of England Motors. When I bought my 100/4 I immediately went to register it with the Healey 100 Owners Club secretary [John Wheatley] who literally lived just down the road from me! I met with John and we instantly engaged in a very lengthy discussion about all things Healey! To my delight John produced several photo albums of all the '100s' registered by him from around the world. Some photos were in colour, but many were in black and white, and as I thumbed through one of the albums, I came across one particular photograph that really caught my eye. Although in black and white the photo was of extremely high quality and of obviously professional standard - even though it was well over 30 years old. It showed a three-quarter, side-on shot of a two-tone Austin-Healey '100S' with large white racing number decal [race car 26] displayed on the passenger-side door. The '100S' was an absolutely 'pure' racing machine. Made completely of all-aluminium body panels and other weight-saving measures it had a kerb-weight of less than 900lbs. The engine output had been boosted to 132bhp and it was equipped with Dunlop disc brakes all-round. [*in your video you state that the Jaguar D-Types were fitted with disc brakes and this is true. However, disc brakes were in their 'infancy' at that time - it took Jaguar more than one year to finally come up with a satisfactory design. But the 100S also had disc brakes - although they may not have been as efficient as the Jaguars - as was claimed by Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn?] The 100S involved in the 'Le Mans disaster' was driven by Healey 'works' driver - Lance Macklin - and was the infamous 'NOJ 393'. [it's a common mistake by many Healey owners and fans of the car to believe that only 50 100S's were ever produced - but there were actually 55. Between 1953 and 1955 - 5 'works' cars were built and designated with 'SPL' chassis numbers. This designation represented 'Special Project' cars as they were used totally for development purposes such as speed records, endurance races, trials and testing. In fact, the 'S' designation was to celebrate the car winning the Sebring [12 hr] endurance race in its class and placing 6th overall. Although the 100S was nowhere near as powerful as the Jaguar D-Types [or Mercedes and Ferraris] it was nonetheless an extremely fast little car for its time. All 55 100S's were hand-built at Healey Motors' tiny 'Cape' factory in Warwick. The remaining 50 were sold to 'privateer' racing drivers etc such as American actor, Jackie Gleason - who was a big Healey 100 'fan' and close friends with Donald & Geoffrey. [Gleason already owned a 100M but then acquired a specially- prepared 100S specifically to race it at Sebring. Going back to the photograph of race car 26 [NOJ 393] I remember thinking that the car looked like it had been beaten with sledgehammers by a bunch of demolition workers! It was absolutely battered with large and deep gouges in the body panels - particularly to the rear shroud and wings. Astonished, I asked John to tell me more about this extra-ordinary car. He laughed laconically and replied - 'ahh, that's Lance Macklin's car'! As a young man and like many people at the time, I had never heard of Lance Macklin or indeed, of the 1955 Le Mans race. So what he told me next is one of the most incredible accounts I have ever heard. [I would also mention that all the details I am about to recount were given to John directly by Geoffrey Healey himself - who was the Healey Team Manager at Le Mans in 1955]. John then meticulously described the events of that fateful day - explaining that that year's race saw a BIG rivalry between Jaguar and Mercedes. [to be fair, the 1955 Ferrari was pretty unreliable and both Jaguar and Mercedes didn't really fear it as a competitor. This was actually borne out by the fact that all Ferraris retired from the race]. **I now come to your second error. I am not sure why you claim that the Jaguars were 'inferior' to the Mercedes? The Jaguar D-Type was a truly exceptional race car. The 'straight-six XK' engine [which actually had to be reduced in output to comply with Le Mans race rules] and mechanics were already race-proven with its predecessor [the gorgeous Jaguar C-Type]. The beautifully aerodynamically styled C-type was itself utterly groundbreaking when it was first launched in 1951. Initially designed by Jaguar's chief engineer William Heynes it was further refined by renowned aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer. Only 53 C-Types were ever produced and officially named the 'XK120 C-Type' [the 'C; stood for Competition] and powered by the all-conquering XK120’s 3.4-litre twin-cam straight-6 engine - in a lightweight, multi-tubular, triangulated frame. It was also one the very first [if not THE first] cars to be equipped with disc-brakes all round. The C-Type won the 24-hour Le Mans race twice - the first on its maiden appearance in 1951 and again in 1953. It also won numerous other races but perhaps most significant was its record-breaking victory in the 1952 Mille Miglia. Piloted by Stirling Moss and Jaguar's chief test driver Norman Dewis, the C-Type achieved an almost unheard-of average speed of nearly 100mph on very possibly the most demanding race in motor sport history. The Jaguar C-Type was a phenomenon and it's legacy should not be underestimated.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for watching! I'd love to be able to make content full time, please help me on that journey by *subscribing* to my channel!

[@b3j8]

I've seen several photos taken of the accident just moments after it happened. GRUESOME sums it up best!

[@docrounds]

I can't even imagine those images. Horrible stuff.. History is pretty scary, but we have to share the stories to avoid the same mistakes!

[@blueterminal7495]

4:48 this was of a spectator's body, Levegh was thrown ahead of the crash site outside the barrier farther from the dead spectator The spectator may landed outside the barrier after a brutual hit from the 300SLR had propelled him there. The exothermic flame caused by magnesium alloy burnt part of his shirt. R.I.P Levegh and the eighty-four.🙏

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for these notes.. a tragedy that still affects how we watch races today.. RIP indeed

[@UseADamnCoaster]

Damn I didn't even know about his shit. That video was well detailed and narrated... Felt like I was there. Crazy tragic race

[@docrounds]

I appreciate the feedback & complement!... Its crazy that there's video of the accident, if not its probably forgotten. Hopefully keeping this memory alive will help prevent other tragedies

[@michaelmcmann9402]

That was a great video that explained everything really well!

[@docrounds]

Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!!

[@annaward4039]

Great video. Thank you!

[@alexandercarrillo312]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

[@docrounds]

I just realized I commented from my personal account and not my actual YT page lol Thank you kindly! I'm still new to the YT world but I'll get better!

[@patsparks8731]

You have some great color footage here, I’ve seen much of it but a few shots I’ve never seen. Such a terrible tragedy, loss of life and loss of innocence after this happened. There was already a growing sense of worry about racing fatalities, this event would catalyze the major safety changes that would happen. A Sad, sad day......but it would have been fascinating to see a Le Mans race in the years prior to this event. I still have an original mint copy of the program from Le Mans 1955. The artwork on the cover is amazing. You did a fantastic job on this video. Very informative with history that has to be shared. Blessings to all those who lost their lives during this tragedy.

[@docrounds]

Wow what a great and historical keepsake you have in that program! I watched a lot of videos to pull from, I'm glad I had something fresh for those who know the race well. Thank you for you complement! And ditto to honoring the fallen, but thankful that it led to many positive changes in the sport and automobiles in general.

[@rahbeat9785]

good video, the only criticism i have is that the music is too loud

[@n1ut4t3]

Great commentary. Keep it going.

[@docrounds]

Thank you, means a lot that you took the time to comment! Motivation to get back to creating videos!!

[@thesoultwins72]

Epilogue: In the aftermath of the 1955 Le Mans race, fingers were pointed in several directions. [the Le Mans race track itself, the lack of safety measures, the speeds of the cars etc etc]. It is clear that the standards were woefully low at that time and improvements needed to be [and were] made. As for the drivers themselves, this was much more contentious. John Fitch, Lance Macklin and Geoffrey Healey all strongly accused Mike Hawthorn of causing the crash - and to be fair, they have a pretty compelling case. Hawthorn, who had previously been utterly contrite and remorseful, suddenly went on the offensive - claiming that both Levegh and Macklin were 'complete amateurs' and very poor drivers. Macklin took great exception to this and sued Hawthorn for defamation. [this led to a very lengthy and bitter legal battle between the two - which was never resolved due to Hawthorn's own death in 1959]. Fitch also, but more on behalf of his dead colleague Pierre Levegh - launched a scathing assault on Hawthorn and the Jaguar team. It is fair to say that Levegh's death [and that of 84 spectators] greatly affected John Fitch and led to him concentrating his energies on race track safety. As for NOJ 393 - unbelievably, the car has had an equally poignant life. Held by French authorities for over two years, it was sold in the late 1950's for the paltry amount of US$135. The new owner had some repairs done to the car [of a very low standard] and the car seems to have been repainted in a dark purpley-blue over gold colourway, but still with its race number [26]. It then changed owners several times, before ending up in the hands of Australian, Jack Scott. He intended on restoring NOJ 393, but due to family matters and other concerns never got around to it. Instead, it remained in his possession for over 10 years, still in its purpley-blue livery and poor condition - and never turned a wheel! [it was stored but never driven]. Finally, after 42 years in the life of the car, Scott decided that it needed to go to a collector who would return it to its rightful condition and approached Bonhams to put it up for auction. The interest was incredible. NOJ 393 is one of only two of the original 'SPL' [Special Project] cars from 1953 remaining and has an impeccable and fully recorded race history. It was totally original and its [morbid] association with motor sports worst ever tragedy guaranteed its iconic status. So it was not that surprising that this enigmatic little car set a new world record sale price of US$1.2M [843,000 GBPs] when it was sold as a 'barn-find' in December 2011. The buyer [a very wealthy Scotsman] then entrusted the car to Steve Pike [of Marsh Classic Restorations in Australia] to restore it to its 'start line specification' for the 1955 Le Mans race. [although the new owner had the car painted in 'spruce green' - the colour that Jackie Gleason insisted his 100S be painted in!] According to some estimates, the cost of this restoration was close to US$1M. The finished car was then transported to Scotland [in time to be shown at the annual 'International Healey Day' which was being held in Scotland that year]. The new owner has not been shy in showing the car, lending it to various magazines, websites, TV and film companies to drive and review - and the new owner actually races the car himself at events such as the Goodwood 'Festival of Speed'. Finally, and to me, two separate but uncannily moving moments immortalise the two main personalities of 1955 Le Mans disaster. Firstly, following his retirement from motor sport just three months earlier - Mike Hawthorn was killed in January 1959. He was just 29 years of age and died whilst driving along the A3 Guildford Bypass. He was at the wheel of his highly modified Jaguar saloon - and was racing/over-taking the Mercedes-Benz 'gull-wing' 300SL of fellow motor sport aficionado, Rob Walker. I guess he died doing what he always did - trying to beat the other driver? Then there's Pierre Levegh. Literally milliseconds before colliding with Lance Macklin's Healey and his own death - he raised his arm in the customary signal to a fellow driver to pass. That driver was Mercedes team-mate, Juan Fangio - who later said that it was though Levegh was 'waving him goodbye'.

[@docrounds]

Thank you for adding to the story! A lot of blame was passed around afterward, but I don't think it was a matter of poor driving or being reckless, ultimately I think it was just a horrible accident in a time before people thought about safety. Hopefully its the last time we'll see anything like this.

[@thesoultwins72]

@@docrounds ....... You're very welcome and hope you don't mind my slight corrections to your narration? I also slightly disagree that it was 'just a horrible accident'. All accidents happen for a reason and it is clear from both the visual and verbal evidence that Mike Hawthorn was largely at fault. However I completely concur with you that we will never see such a tragedy again. The important things about mistakes is that we learn from them - and thankfully, race-tracks and driving practices have greatly improved since the 1950's.

[@docrounds]

@@thesoultwins72 I don't mind the help one bit! In fact I'm thankful to you for taking the time. I know there's a lot of complexity (and emotions) to this story beyond what I could cover. Regarding who was at fault, my personal feeling is that Mike Hawthorne was mostly responsible, but my intention was to give the facts and since that was never confirmed by race authorities or law enforcement, I didn't feel it was fair to put all the blame on him. 100% agreed on being thankful for improvements in overall driving safety. This race, and John Fitch in particular, are a big reason for those changes, so its always good to revisit history so we don't repeat it! Thank you again for your commentary and help!!

[@thegolgatha5337]

@TheSoulTwins: Thank you for this excellent post.

[@The_Deaf_Aussie]

Tldr.

[@thesoultwins72]

@Doc Rounds........[Part 1] A very interesting and highly detailed account of the 'Le Mans Disaster' [as it has since been labelled]. However, I would like to add some additional details as well as correct some slight errors* in your commentary. Firstly, in the early 1980's, I bought a 1953 Austin-Healey BN1 '100/4' - which was the first of the Austin-Healey's produced by the Healey Motor Company [owned by father and son - Donald & Geoffrey Healey], in partnership with Austin of England Motors. When I bought my 100/4 I immediately went to register it with the Healey 100 Owners Club secretary [John Wheatley] who literally lived just down the road from me! I met with John and we instantly engaged in a very lengthy discussion about all things Healey! To my delight John produced several photo albums of all the '100s' registered by him from around the world. Some photos were in colour, but many were in black and white, and as I thumbed through one of the albums, I came across one particular photograph that really caught my eye. Although in black and white the photo was of extremely high quality and of obviously professional standard - even though it was well over 30 years old. It showed a three-quarter, side-on shot of a two-tone Austin-Healey '100S' with large white racing number decal [race car 26] displayed on the passenger-side door. The '100S' was an absolutely 'pure' racing machine. Made completely of all-aluminium body panels and other weight-saving measures it had a kerb-weight of less than 900lbs. The engine output had been boosted to 132bhp and it was equipped with Dunlop disc brakes all-round. [*in your video you state that the Jaguar D-Types were fitted with disc brakes and this is true. However, disc brakes were in their 'infancy' at that time - it took Jaguar more than one year to finally come up with a satisfactory design. But the 100S also had disc brakes - although they may not have been as efficient as the Jaguars - as was claimed by Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn?] The 100S involved in the 'Le Mans disaster' was driven by Healey 'works' driver - Lance Macklin - and was the infamous 'NOJ 393'. [it's a common mistake by many Healey owners and fans of the car to believe that only 50 100S's were ever produced - but there were actually 55. Between 1953 and 1955 - 5 'works' cars were built and designated with 'SPL' chassis numbers. This designation represented 'Special Project' cars as they were used totally for development purposes such as speed records, endurance races, trials and testing. In fact, the 'S' designation was to celebrate the car winning the Sebring [12 hr] endurance race in its class and placing 6th overall. Although the 100S was nowhere near as powerful as the Jaguar D-Types [or Mercedes and Ferraris] it was nonetheless an extremely fast little car for its time. All 55 100S's were hand-built at Healey Motors' tiny 'Cape' factory in Warwick. The remaining 50 were sold to 'privateer' racing drivers etc such as American actor, Jackie Gleason - who was a big Healey 100 'fan' and close friends with Donald & Geoffrey. [Gleason already owned a 100M but then acquired a specially- prepared 100S specifically to race it at Sebring. Going back to the photograph of race car 26 [NOJ 393] I remember thinking that the car looked like it had been beaten with sledgehammers by a bunch of demolition workers! It was absolutely battered with large and deep gouges in the body panels - particularly to the rear shroud and wings. Astonished, I asked John to tell me more about this extra-ordinary car. He laughed laconically and replied - 'ahh, that's Lance Macklin's car'! As a young man and like many people at the time, I had never heard of Lance Macklin or indeed, of the 1955 Le Mans race. So what he told me next is one of the most incredible accounts I have ever heard. [I would also mention that all the details I am about to recount were given to John directly by Geoffrey Healey himself - who was the Healey Team Manager at Le Mans in 1955]. John then meticulously described the events of that fateful day - explaining that that year's race saw a BIG rivalry between Jaguar and Mercedes. [to be fair, the 1955 Ferrari was pretty unreliable and both Jaguar and Mercedes didn't really fear it as a competitor. This was actually borne out by the fact that all Ferraris retired from the race]. **I now come to your second error. I am not sure why you claim that the Jaguars were 'inferior' to the Mercedes? The Jaguar D-Type was a truly exceptional race car. The 'straight-six XK' engine [which actually had to be reduced in output to comply with Le Mans race rules] and mechanics were already race-proven with its predecessor [the gorgeous Jaguar C-Type]. The beautifully aerodynamically styled C-type was itself utterly groundbreaking when it was first launched in 1951. Initially designed by Jaguar's chief engineer William Heynes it was further refined by renowned aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer. Only 53 C-Types were ever produced and officially named the 'XK120 C-Type' [the 'C; stood for Competition] and powered by the all-conquering XK120’s 3.4-litre twin-cam straight-6 engine - in a lightweight, multi-tubular, triangulated frame. It was also one the very first [if not THE first] cars to be equipped with disc-brakes all round. The C-Type won the 24-hour Le Mans race twice - the first on its maiden appearance in 1951 and again in 1953. It also won numerous other races but perhaps most significant was its record-breaking victory in the 1952 Mille Miglia. Piloted by Stirling Moss and Jaguar's chief test driver Norman Dewis, the C-Type achieved an almost unheard-of average speed of nearly 100mph on very possibly the most demanding race in motor sport history. The Jaguar C-Type was a phenomenon and it's legacy should not be underestimated.

[@Gertieness]

I didn't catch the number injured, but 84 dead and 14 decapitated, I don't even want to imagine the scene. RIP

[@docrounds]

84 dead and 170 injured 😧 .. Truly a tragedy

[@SIDAOP2]

Thanks for the story doc

[@docrounds]

Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment! Glad you enjoyed!!

[@JZJ7777]

This has to be the most horrifying crash I’ve ever heard of. My god, I can’t believe the injury and death count.

[@judahunderwood8433]

Great vid! No way you only have 200 odd subs

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much! I've been grinding editing videos and your comment is motivating. I appreciate you watching and glad you enjoyed!!

[@truthsearcher596]

Excellent breakdown, great work 👏.

[@docrounds]

I really appreciate your kind words and support! Keeps me motivated to keep going!!

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

Excellent video.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment! Gives me motivation to work on the next video!!

[@leadsolo2751]

Awesome Vid, Thanks for Sharing - Happy to Subscribe !!

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for watching and even more for subscribing! Helps me get closer to the magical 1000 subscriber mark. I’m glad you enjoyed!!

[@heatherhillman1]

Mercedes-Benz: "How would you like to drive one of our cars at Le Mans this year?" Formula 1 driver: "Nonononononononono"

[@BoydsofParadise]

great video! well presented and good pacing.

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much for the feedback and kind words! Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@demonlordomegaacepilot7090]

Very good documentary lo ed your video you need more subscrobers bud!

[@docrounds]

Sorry for the super late reply, I'm a horrible (part-time) youtuber, but I just saw this comment and it gave me life!.. These videos take so long and I'm worried they suck lol I'm glad people like you are nice enough to let me know to keep going! I hope you're having a great day whenever you see this!!

[@ultraegovegeta8213]

May they Rest In Peace 🙏

[@user-henry2008]

Really great video.

[@alexandercarrillo312]

Thank you so much!

[@markgates1565]

It been almost 70 yr and still graphic

[@Loulovesspeed]

The video was very well coordinated and delivered. Your commentary though was too soft and overrun by the background noise and some musical audio. Quite difficult to hear all you were commenting on. As my Father used to say, don't be afraid to speak up!

[@docrounds]

I appreciate that! I’ve been shy my whole life and need to be more confident. Thanks for watching and for the feedback!!

[@Loulovesspeed]

@@docrounds - You are most welcome Sir!

[@nomorokay]

To my eyes, the way the Healey driver swerved across the track turned a close call into that disaster. A skilled driver would normally move over just enough to get around the slowing Jaguar to avoid hitting it, WITHOUT moving into the fastest part of the track and blocking Levegh. It’s easy to point fingers now, though, so that’s just my opinion. I would not say it’s the only way to interpret what happened. It would also have been a big help if Mercedes had informed race management about the amounts of magnesium in their cars, and how to safely extinguish a magnesium fire. The stuff is not like aluminum. Some of the covers on my motorbike (Yamaha FZ750/1000) are made of magnesium, and it’s easy to tell which ones. They’re marked MAGNESIUM in raised letters, to avoid any dangerous situations caused by an uninformed person welding or otherwise heating to them to the ignition point of the metal and causing a smaller scale disaster.

[@docrounds]

Seems like a lot of little things had to go wrong to cause such a huge tragedy, overcompensating to avoid the Jaguar is definitely one factor. Magnesium rain certainly didn't help. I think its reasonable to assume that firefighters mistakenly using water here helped spread awareness of how to deal with magnesium and magnesium fires. I wonder if that MAGNESIUM safety tag on your bike can somehow be traced back as a response to this race.

[@selmer862]

Son, it usually helps to know what you are talking about. First, Lance Macklin was a very talented sports car driver, who had been a works driver for Aston Martin and had come in 3rd at Le Mans in 1951. So to imply that he was not a skilled driver is idiotic. Lance was right where he was supposed to be, to the inside of the track, letting the bigger-engined cars past. Hawthorne could have slowed sooner, followed Macklin to the pits, and all would have been well. He supposedly didn't want to let Fangio beat him across the start/finish line, which is ridiculous in a 24-hour race (I can't swear that that was Hawthorne's motives, but those around him certainly thought it). So he passed Macklin, then dove in front of him and stood on the brakes. The move caught Macklin by surprise, as it would have anyone. Macklin braked hard and steered to the left, but the move destabilized his car and he effectively lost his steering for just long enough that he drifted farther across the track that he intended before the steering came back. Fangio sneaked through, but poor Pierre Bouillin (aka "Levegh), also a talented, experienced racer had no time to react and was launched. If anyone at all was to be blamed, it was Hawthorne. I admired Mike greatly, but his denials aside, he made poor choices that directly led to the accident. Macklin was pretty much a passenger from the time his steering went light to the time Bouillin's car launched over him. It wasn't Lance's mistake that caused the accident; it was Hawthorne's poor judgement. And it wasn't Lance's inexperience that caused his car to drift farther across the track than needed; it was a loss of steering. I drove a Healey 100 for decades, on streets and tracks, so when I heard the story about Lance losing his steering, it made perfect sense to me. Been there...

[@GoodwoodMR2]

@@selmer862 Mike Hawthorn was cleared of any blame, poor track design and cars with varying degrees of speed and breaking power all culminating in horrific crash. Plenty of reports out to back this up both old and new sadly this era of racing had many dangers no one person was to blame.

[@thegolgatha5337]

@@GoodwoodMR2 I won‘t give a flying flamingo for this english idiot Hawthorn to be cleared of any blame by ‚officials‘. Everybody knows, nothing had happened, had that selfish quarterwit made his stop behind Macklin. He ended his life with the same overconfidence.

[@pinkharmonica1312]

​@GoodwoodMR2 that's bullshit. Duh, it was unsafe, we don't need investigations to figure that out. It was 1955. The fact of the matter is, only one person's actions directly led to the circumstances of the crash. Even if that crash led to no casualties because of safety measures, someone would still be at fault. People still crash in modern cars, the results are just different. The idea that this dude passing and brake checking while driving into the pits wasn't a specific and preventable behavior that led to the circumstances of the crash is absolutely ridiculous. They could have never run the race and no one would've died, sure. But we all can see who actually *caused* the accident to happen.

[@gordonfreeman1839]

Horrible! R.I.P. all the people who lost their lives that day!

[@docrounds]

Amen to that! The thought of going out for a day of fun and ending in such tragedy is terrible

[@thegolgatha5337]

Excellent footage, thank you !! Hawthorn was a selfish idiot and responsible. Later he finally finished himself.

[@throttlegalsmagazineaustra7361]

You should demand to see the manager...

[@michelvigneres7033]

It is now accepted that Hawthorn was the guilty, not Macklin .By detailed surveys and analysis

[@docrounds]

That’s the conclusion I came to. But I didn’t want to be overly critical and point all the blame at one person when it took a lot of circumstances for all that carnage. Race officials and track organizers aren’t without blame. But yeah dangerous move for sure.

[@michelvigneres7033]

Thanks for the comment. @@docrounds

[@badgumby9544]

Almost all tickets to motorsports events have a disclaimer, that you enter at your own risk.

[@docrounds]

Is that real? I guess it makes sense, nothing says fun like a chance to die?

[@DarrylRuiz-s1w]

My God One Race 84 Dead Hope Hawthorne's victory was worth it

[@DwightLivesMatter]

You would be surprised how many today would gladly accept that cost for the sake of a win.

[@Albdentist]

Book: 24 Hours 100 yrs of Le Mans by Richard Williams. : page 162: “ No film cameras had caught the start of the incident between the three cars, but the British Pathe team had captured the seconds in which various parts of Mercedes flew into the cloud…” It is good to bring this piece of history into the public eye again. Thank you

[@suedeball635]

Ahh the good old days …

[@docrounds]

lol when racing was racing and men were men

[@erenhidiroglu7889]

​@@docrounds😢

[@housesports000]

Something also that could be mentioned, for as devastating the loss of Leveigh and the 80+ people during the accident, F1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio could've also been added in the death tally as he braced himself and gunned it between the 3 cars and nearly got collected himself

[@carlobelmont5629]

So we'll done and informative,well done ,also I wanted to the out come of that Mercedes driver ,very good

[@docrounds]

Thank you! And double thank you for watching until the end!

[@NikkiNole]

Karma got Hawthorne in the end.

[@docrounds]

Live by the sword, die by the sword? He went out doing what he loved I guess.

[@housesports000]

@@docroundshe might as well have, if not for the car crash, terminal liver cirrhosis would've taken him a few months later

[@CaptainMarci104]

Mercedes did NOT withdraw because of the crash. Mercedes had announced its planned withdrawl months before the race.

[@docrounds]

GREAT point, they had announced before the race they wanted to focus on design and all that. It just coincidentally matched up with this disaster.. Thanks for the comment!

[@alloyd759]

IMHO, it's ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING the race wasn't stopped!!!! Whatever the "EXCUSE" they gave!!! It should NEVER have been allowed to continue and a WINNER announced.....after SUCH a HORRIFIC and TRAGIC accident ....I mean....REALLY??????

[@docrounds]

I completely agree! When I first heard about this I was shocked by 3 things: that it happened, that there was footage, and that the race was allowed to finish. What a crazy sport!

[@DwightLivesMatter]

@@docroundsMore like crazy men. :/

[@DwightLivesMatter]

I hope you continue videos. ❤️‍🩹

[@williamloppes3485]

Unfortunately the worst accident on racing ever was this.

[@pistiberez]

great work ,u have +1 subscriber!

[@docrounds]

That's so awesome! Thank you so much for the support! Looking forward to providing more content ASAP

[@jlucasound]

What do you mean, Peter was fine?! Do you know how dizzy he was?! ;-) Good News. Thanks! Great production!

[@docrounds]

LOL going airborne like that would for sure scramble the brain a bit! What a crazy sport .... Thank you so much for watching, especially until the end!!

[@gingerninjagaming1234]

Is there a movie on this disaster?

[@docrounds]

That a great question. I didn't find a lot of stuff to watch, which is why I put this together in the first place. Theres a pretty good animated thing on KZbin, but I'd be interested to know if there's anything else that gets more in depth.

[@stumpusMaximus]

People standing **ON** the track, both sides while cars went past at over 100 mph. It wasn’t an accident, it was destined to happen with the wholesome stupidity of the organisers, drivers and fans. Not even one person with intelligence questioned the idea that people on the track was *normal* and nothing could go wrong….

[@docrounds]

You would think someone woulda tried to clear the track but nope! Humans aren’t inherently smart, we just learn quickly from horrible lessons. In fact we see teenagers still standing close to street races and takeovers with no thought that the cars could easily go off course

[@columbmurray]

Not surprised the French would blame the English !

[@johndeere1951a]

Responsibility lies with the driver following. The following driver is responsible for keeping a safe distance incase of avoidance- even in racing. Know your escape route, know where other cars around you, always knowing where you can go incase something occurs near you. The irratic left maneuver by the car avoiding Hawthorne, across the track into the path of Leveigh, which was already to the far left side of the track. Macklin did not drive past the crowded dangerous pits with a margin of escape in case something might happen. If blame is to be asigned then Macklin tops the list, sad to say. Saddest day in motor sport. ✝️. 🇺🇲💔

[@DwightLivesMatter]

I'd arguably say, if a car is dangerously close to you, you'd want to move over regardless. Seemed no matter what it was checkmate. :/

[@christopherwelch136]

Kept the racing going? Nice.

[@docrounds]

Crazy right.. Just a few dead bodies, no bid deal I guess! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Loulovesspeed]

You evidently missed the reason the race was continued, clearly explained in this documentary. Try listening to it again.

[@rogerbraswelljr.923]

Did I hear that right. They were hitting speeds at 180 mph with no seatbelts or roll bars/cages? Wtf!😮

[@docrounds]

Isn’t that wild! I didn’t believe it at first but those are some badass cars. Innovation is usually followed by tragedy and then safety

[@rogerbraswelljr.923]

@@docrounds sad but true. Adam, Kenny, then Earnhardt. It took losing Dale to make NASCAR implement head restraints and soft walls. NASCAR hasn't had a death since.

[@oleriis-vestergaard6844]

Crazy pictures and man the securite on track was not excisting , at lease thats been taken care of now

[@docrounds]

Its crazy to me how history can shape so much of what we do today. Especially history that many of us have never heard of!

[@airborne8580]

Doc Rounds No cages? A bad wreck is about as bad as being in combat

[@docrounds]

I've been in fender benders that I could feel weeks later, I can't even imagine going airborne!

[@johnathanasiou1605]

Disgusting that they continued the race even though many died that race should of stopped immediately

[@docrounds]

This was my initial reaction as well! How can you keep a sport going while carrying bodies out of the stadium SMH

[@41357500]

calm down snowflake

[@saltbombcreations8336]

@@docrounds I just wanna know, what does SMH mean? Also that is horrifying

[@docrounds]

Great question, it means "Shaking My Head", as in disbelief or disappointment that something has occurred. Think of a disappointed mother slowly shaking her head while reading a bad report card.

[@saltbombcreations8336]

ok thx

[@4awhile529]

Good video.

[@docrounds]

Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! I'm up early on a Sunday trying to crank out content and this is motivating me to keep going!

[@sailorgerard]

Either play music or narrate: but not both, for I could not hear the narrator's voice because of the music.

[@dionmarbury]

Yikes! 😮

[@docrounds]

Crazy stuff.. I made this and still can't believe its real lol

[@johnrawlins6147]

Pity about the music makes it harder to hear

[@docrounds]

Sorry about that! The sound could have definitely been mixed better... I'll work on it for future videos. Thanks for watching!

[@janetredshaw7217]

Well done

[@docrounds]

Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed! Took me way too long to put together lol

[@axiomist4488]

I tried to write some comment, but I couldn't think what to say, except : Horrible !

[@docrounds]

I'm glad we're now much safer but its a hard way to have to learn lessons!

[@columbmurray]

It didn't make sense ! They could easily have stopped spectators leaving in their cars while stopping the race out of respect. The authorities didn't want their precious Vive La France race stopped.

[@williamloppes3485]

Does someone knows if it's possible to see the Rear Damaged Jaguar nowadays?

[@MikeBarbarossa]

4:29 I'm counting at least 7 bodies here

[@docrounds]

You can really see the carnage with the flying hood. I still can't believe there's video of this. RIP to everyone who just wanted to enjoy a race.

[@thelonegranger5]

THANKS, Brilliant break down! I've watched it countless times before, but this puts it all in perspective. Cheers

[@jonathanmosher72]

Those cars looked so bad ass. That shape needs a revival.

[@docrounds]

Works of art. How is stuff made so long ago better than what we do now... Which one was the best?

[@ashvindkumar5471]

All because of that one DUMB jaguar driver who decided to pit just after over taking a car at over 100 mph and braked in front of the guy who he just overtook.

[@danwindler9400]

Can you do the video of 1972 plane crash of Old Christians Club Rugby Team in the Andes?

[@docrounds]

I just looked it up, a plane crash and cannibalism, whoa! I can 100% see myself going down this rabbit hole. I'm working on a couple other ideas right now, but I'll look into this and as long as there's a good story there, I got you! Thank you for the heads up! All these stories need to be on KZbin.

[@danwindler9400]

@@docrounds I agree, Your Welcome

[@danilosilva8254]

Atenção vinda do Brasil. Congratulations from vídeo

[@rainerlovesjapan9468]

The british at fault. Propably intentionally to put Mercedes Benz out of race.

[@tedsmith6137]

Unfortunately the music is loud enough that I could not understand your narration. The reason people think that laying a music track on these things eludes me.

[@nevrock1]

Le Mans Race was not held between 1940 and 1948 due to WWII.

[@jameshepburn4631]

For those with time to research, Sports Illustrated magazine did a very detailed article about the 1955 Le Mans tragedy on I think the 10th anniversary of that race. There was lingering anti-German sentiment just 10 years after Hitler’s Third Reich. That a Mercedes Benz was the death dealing car brought up some bad memories and an immediate ‘blame the Germans’ grumbling. The MB racing team was acutely aware of this and very likely the reason Mercedes Benz pulled out of the race and racing without delay and a show of respect and regret.

[@RidhoSetiawan-e7q]

Kasihan.. banyak penonton yang jadi korban

[@mikewinston8709]

Real men driving real cars with real risk…..no 🏳️‍⚧️ or 🌈 amongst these guys…..

[@DwightLivesMatter]

Facts. When society had common sense.

[@freqeist]

thanks although I can hardly hear what you are saying.

[@docrounds]

Yeah I blew it with the audio levels! Good thing adobe has a free A.I. audio enhancer for going forward but tough to live with it on this video.

[@airborne8580]

No thank you watching on the TV would do me just fine Hopefully with technology they won't come through my television screen

[@docrounds]

Beers cheaper at home too!

[@kellycoleman715]

Fourteen people were decapitated by the flying car debris.

[@docrounds]

Oh wow! Horrible stuff

[@aadityasatyal1420]

tHE sHow must go on

[@John-k6f9k]

The tendency has been to lay the blame on Mike Hawthorne. Even at the time the French papers sarcastically showed the Englishman drinking champagne after the win. He seemed a pompous twit, but it was really a combination of factors that caused the disaster. How can anyone expect to foresee the outcome of slowing down for a pit stop just by some blurry view of a few cars in your mirrors.

[@ChechiDLR]

This would be great commentary but the audio needs a lot of work.

[@docrounds]

Thank you for watching and for the feedback and constructive criticism! I'm working on another video and will definitely focus on improving the audio (and overall quality).

[@ermelindarosa1485]

E n interromperam a corrida????😮😮😮😮

[@docrounds]

que loucura! Obrigado pelo seu apoio!!

[@malcolmmitchell6529]

Dont think it was Hawthornes fault, he followed pitting procedures. Karma has nothing to do with it.

[@91CBR86VFR]

There is no ‘s’ sound at the end of Le Mans. Technically, no ‘n’ sound either. This was as hard to listen to as a documentary on the Corvette where the narrator calls the company “Shev-ro-lett”! 🤦‍♂️

[@docrounds]

Seems like you should only be watching videos on proper pronunciation then! I appreciate the clarification, but in my opinion the point of language is to understand each other, not to get caught up in details like an extra 'S'. Don't sweat the small stuff, life's too short to try and be perfect all the time.

[@massimopaci7634]

It's hard to understand why the race was not stopped after this massacre. Really hard to understand.

[@docrounds]

That’s actually what inspired me to make this video. I couldn’t believe they acted like nothing happened! The celebrations seemed over the top, at best. Thanks for watching!

[@rusharley2080]

The music is too loud.

[@docrounds]

Thank you for that note! I'll 100% focus on audio going forward

[@rusharley2080]

@@docrounds Great video. I'm just getting old and can't hear like I used to.

[@ellyheldring2895]

the race cotinued! the same in monza f1 in monza 1961 with von trips! i guess financial gains was more important.

[@docrounds]

I'm sure money was a factor, as it always is! Oh wow I never knew about that F1 crash. I just looked it up, wild stuff! Thanks for that tidbit, something I'll probably use in a future piece. Thanks for stopping by and dropping knowledge!

[@MR-rp3xr]

Hot magnesium from the wheels and other components exploded and burnt most of the spectators some decapitated all to get her there were about 80 spectators and a boy killed

[@docrounds]

The word tragedy gets thrown around a lot, but this truly was a tragedy. Horrific day. Hopefully we learned our lessons and this never happens again... But seeing this new wave of street racing and how close people stand doesn't give me much hope.

[@holyHand-Grenade]

9/11 but car be like:

[@beric6321]

Le sport est inutile . Je veux dire c'est le sentiment que je ressent après ce désastre terrible. ...

[@docrounds]

Does this mean "the sport is useless"? lol

[@beric6321]

@@docrounds je veux dire après ce désastre terrible, le sport devient dérisoire. Bien à toi.

[@ArturBonin]

i think Hawthorne should be arrested and in prison after the race for what he has done