Before the 1955 race, anticipation was high as Ferrari, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz, all previous race winners, arrived with new cars. Ferrari’s cars were known for speed but were prone to mechanical failure, while Jaguar focused its racing efforts almost exclusively on Le Mans and had an experienced driver lineup including Mike Hawthorn. Mercedes-Benz had debuted its new 300 SLR, achieving a record-setting win at the Mille Miglia for Stirling Moss.
Mercedes team manager Alfred Neubauer assembled a multinational team for the race, pairing Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in one car, Karl Kling and André Simon in another, and John Fitch with Pierre Levegh. Levegh had previously driven solo for the entire race in 1952, but his effort failed in the last hour, allowing Mercedes-Benz their first Le Mans victory. The Circuit de la Sarthe had seen limited changes since its 1923 inception, despite top speeds increasing from 100 km/h to over 270 km/h by 1955. The track lacked barriers between the pit lane and racing line, and only a 1.2 m earthen bank separated the track from spectators. Cars also lacked seatbelts, as drivers believed it was safer to be thrown clear of a crash.
The 1955 race began at 4 pm on Saturday, with Eugenio Castellotti, Mike Hawthorn, and Juan Manuel Fangio leading the field in the first hour. The Mercedes team initially conserved its cars, but they remained in the top ten. The accident occurred at 6:26 pm on lap 35, as pit stops began for the leading cars.
On lap 35, Hawthorn and Fangio were racing for the lead. Hawthorn’s crew had signalled him to pit on the next lap. Having just lapped Levegh, he braked sharply in front of Lance Macklin’s Austin Healey, intending to enter the pits. Macklin swerved to avoid Hawthorn, moving into the path of Levegh, who was approaching at over 200 km/h. Levegh attempted to warn Fangio by raising his hand, but could not avoid the collision.
Levegh’s car launched into the air after hitting Macklin’s car, flying over spectators and rolling for 80 metres before crashing into a concrete stairwell. The car disintegrated, sending debris, including the engine block, radiator, and front suspension, into the crowd. The rear of Levegh’s car exploded into flames. Duncan Hamilton, a Jaguar driver, described the scene as “indescribable,” with “the dead and dying everywhere.”
Following the crash, Hawthorn continued driving, believing he had caused a catastrophe. John Fitch, Levegh’s co-driver, urged the Mercedes team to withdraw from the race, which Neubauer agreed with, but needed approval from company directors. Despite expectations for the race to be stopped, officials kept it running, citing concerns about crowd control and potential lawsuits. Mercedes withdrew at 1:45 am, after receiving approval from Stuttgart.
Jaguar, with Hawthorn and Bueb, ultimately won the race by five laps, but there was no celebration. The crash resulted in over 80 spectator deaths, in addition to Levegh, and between 120 and 178 injuries. The disaster led to temporary bans on motorsport in several countries, and prompted safety improvements at the Circuit de la Sarthe, including a redesigned pit straight and rebuilt grandstands.
The official inquiry found no single driver responsible, attributing the crash to inadequate track safety standards. The incident prompted John Fitch to become a safety advocate, inventing safety devices such as the Fitch barrier. Macklin’s Austin-Healey was later sold at auction for £843,000 in 2011. Mercedes-Benz withdrew from motorsport until 1985, and later returned to win the 1989 Le Mans race. The crash also led to the retirements of Fitch, Walters, and Johnston, and Fangio never raced at Le Mans again.
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