Deadliest Crash, BBC 4 May 16th

[Chris24]

Just read in Car magazine about a program being shown on Sunday May 16th on BBC4 (Sorry don't know what time).

The program is called Deadliest Crash and is a film / documentary examining the 1955 Le Mans Tragedy. Apparently taken the film crew 3 years to make.

Should be worth a watch.

[Jon King]

 This is link to bbc 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptx

[jpchenet]

Just looked it up on Sky. Sky  channel 116 at 9pm.

Thanks for the info Chris!

Although I must admit, part of me is intrigued to see it, part of me doesn't due to the catasrophic outcome!

So I've set it to record and I'll decide later!!

[Snoring Rhino]

I guess it may be the French way, but you would think there would be a memoriral (not as far as I am aware) to the casulaties. Dark day.

[Doris]

Just looked it up on Sky. Sky  channel 116 at 9pm.

Thanks for the info Chris!

Although I must admit, part of me is intrigued to see it, part of me doesn't due to the catasrophic outcome!

So I've set it to record and I'll decide later!!

Any chance of a copy Mark?

Dx

[geoffd]

This is available to buy as a DVD from the Bigger Picture, plus the usual sources as well.

These are also the guys that did Lap of the Gods and Chasing the Dream, two good LM documentaries on Rollcentre.

I watched it last year, at times it is heart rending in it's sadness, but it does put to rest the question of what happened once and for all.  It does, also, give a great insight to the mindset of the competitors back then too.

Well worth watching imho.

[jpchenet]

Just looked it up on Sky. Sky  channel 116 at 9pm.

Thanks for the info Chris!

Although I must admit, part of me is intrigued to see it, part of me doesn't due to the catasrophic outcome!

So I've set it to record and I'll decide later!!

Any chance of a copy Mark?

Dx

Of course!! :-)

[Barry]

I guess it may be the French way, but you would think there would be a memoriral (not as far as I am aware) to the casulaties. Dark day.

I think there is a plaque, on the track wall, at the point where the accident took place.

[Lord Steve]

Yes there is, halfway up the start / finish straight on the wall. It's a very discreet plaque.

[termietermite]

I've just finished reading "Go Like Hell" by AJ Baime. It brings back all my childhood memories of truly brave drivers in less than safe machines on less than safe circuits.  There's a picture of Walt Hansgen's MkII and it's impossible to believe that he lived afterwards, albeit just for a day or two. Even I got missed by a couple of feet by flying tyres and bodywork in my time.  I've also watched two drivers burn to death.  How things have changed for drivers and spectators.  I guess the '55 incident explains to a greater or lesser extent, the mindset of the organisers here who are never allowed to forget that "Motor Racing is Dangerous" (or was!)

Like JPC, I'm never sure about how I feel about this kind of film.  Are we motorsport fans or sick voyeurs? - the line can be a bit thin at times.

[Lorry]

Yes there is, halfway up the start / finish straight on the wall. It's a very discreet plaque.

I heard about this years ago, but have never been able to find it.

As far as I can work out, the accident started adjacent to one of the first pits, and the casualties were in the ACO grandstand.  There was another grandstand to the left of ACO which is long gone.

[Fisherman]

Also on this weekend, Saturday 12-3 on Discovery Turbo - Road to Le Mans, following the Creation team in 2005

[mgmark]

Yes there is, halfway up the start / finish straight on the wall. It's a very discreet plaque.

I heard about this years ago, but have never been able to find it.

Picture of it herehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Le_Mans_Memorial.JPG

And probably the most detailed and authoritative account so far is Christopher Hilton's book "Le Mans '55: The Crash That Changed the Face of Motor Racing" - read it a while ago and it covers not just the accident in detail, but the background to how Levegh came to be driving for Mercedes, the organisers' perspective, how the aftermath was dealt with etc - not gruesome, just very interesting

MG Mark

[Lorry]

I can't remember which book I read - it was probably before I started coming to Le Mans, but some poor German chap with an 8mm cine camera kept his finger on the button till he was hit.  Most accounts are biased, but this is genuine evidence.  I hope I'll see some of it on the BBC

On a lighter note, I think Paul Drayson must have known he's be sacked in May and hence could concentrate on his Le Mans effort.  Who else tells the boss "I'm having June off", when the boss is the PM.  The trouble is Brown was sat there thinking "So am I, and I'm not the lucky b@st@rd going to  LM"  And why isn't there a sequel about LM?

[Pilgrim]

For those without access to Freeview, the documentary can be watched here:

http://motionempire.com/Watch_Deadliest_Crash_The_Le_Mans_1955_Disaster_-2009-_Documentary_Online_for_Free_99614.html