The Deadliest Crash: The Le Mans 1955 Disaster
THE worst disaster in motor racing history occurred early in the 1955 Le Mans 24-hour race when Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes 300 SLR (left) exploded and smashed into the crowd, killing 83 people.
Was the accident caused by untried technology? Did Mercedes use a lethal fuel additive?
Or was the winner, Britain’s Mike Hawthorn, guilty of reckless driving?
This film looks at the horrific chain of events.