Deadliest Crash, BBC 4 May 16th

[mike(liverpool boys)]

Sky+ has been set. As Im still learning about Le Mans and its history Im looking forward to watching it.

[Lorry]

Sky+ has been set. As Im still learning about Le Mans and its history Im looking forward to watching it.

I've got to prise the wife away from Lewis on ITV

[LangTall]

Barely remembered in time to watch it. Impressive.

[Jon King]

 What a emotoinal documentary

[Fran]

Very sad, but very informative too - I knew about the crash, but didnt really know so much about the back story and national rivalries.

F

[Snoring Rhino]

very moving, especially the last series of shots showing the devastation amongst the crowd just after the thrill of the balls out racing between Mercedes and Jaguar. Elseware on the track many probably went home thinking it was a great race until the Mercades disappeared,(especially the non French speaking) not knowing of the tragedy until reading papers maybe days after, seems like there was not much made of the seriousness's of the accident in order to keep emergency access. As for the cause of the accident, after always believing it was Hawthorne's fault, from the sequence of stills it looked very much like a racing accident triggered by Hawthorne  needing to pull in for fuel.  However the Jaguars superior brakes caught out the others hence the Healy swerving into the path of the Mercades causing the collision. The resulting pit wall barrier development immediately after was very significant.

[Chris24]

Balls, after all that i fell asleep on the couch and forgotn to set the V+ box or record it. D'oh !

[Chris24]

Never mind, just checked and its repeated at 12.30 am, so I get a second chance. 

[Lawnmower Man]

It's on again a 00:45 and then on  Wed 19 May 2010 at 00:30.

t.

[Lorry]

I videoed it so I can have a closer look at the footage.  I can't understand how Macklin was so close to Hawthorn, as the AH was a slower car.  Macklin appears to go on the grass and then dives out, but Leveagh doesn't aim for the gap.

Another point of interest is that Hawthorn only had 3 years to live.  Blackouts, caused by kidney failure may have caused his fatal crash in 1959

[nickliv]

I videoed it so I can have a closer look at the footage.  I can't understand how Macklin was so close to Hawthorn, as the AH was a slower car.  Macklin appears to go on the grass and then dives out, but Leveagh doesn't aim for the gap.

Another point of interest is that Hawthorn only had 3 years to live.  Blackouts, caused by kidney failure may have caused his fatal crash in 1959

I think MH overtook Macklin, then pulled in and braked sharply in order to pull into the pits, forcing Macklin to take avoiding action, and then Macklin swung into the path of Leveghs car.

A reasonable conclusion of the cars having outgrown the circuit as the reason for the tragedy, the accident'd have happened anyway, with better circuit design / spectator protection then the crowd would have seen a much happier outcome.

Hindsight's always 20/20 I guess.

[lofty]

it makes you wonder what could have happened if peter dumbreck had flipped on the start/finish and not in the woods.how lucky we all were.

[Barry]

very moving, especially the last series of shots showing the devastation

Agree. very moving sequence.
I  would also recommend Christopher Hilton's book, covers all the background to why they were racing so hard, and also the investigation after the accident.
As to the cause, I think the great innovation of discs on the Jaguar was a huge contributing factor, Macklin had nowhere to go, when Hawthorn braked in front of him. Levegh had no chance of avoiding him, even if he had the reaction time of a twenty year old.
The cars had certainly outgrown the circuit.  

[geoffd]

I videoed it so I can have a closer look at the footage.  I can't understand how Macklin was so close to Hawthorn, as the AH was a slower car.  Macklin appears to go on the grass and then dives out, but Leveagh doesn't aim for the gap.

Another point of interest is that Hawthorn only had 3 years to live.  Blackouts, caused by kidney failure may have caused his fatal crash in 1959

I think MH overtook Macklin, then pulled in and braked sharply in order to pull into the pits, forcing Macklin to take avoiding action, and then Macklin swung into the path of Leveghs car.

A reasonable conclusion of the cars having outgrown the circuit as the reason for the tragedy, the accident'd have happened anyway, with better circuit design / spectator protection then the crowd would have seen a much happier outcome.

Hindsight's always 20/20 I guess.

Don't forget that the Jag had disk brakes everyone else was still using drums, if as it seems MH was due to stop, overtakes Macklin then slams the brakes on there is no way the Healey is going to be able to slow up so he did what most would do and swerved to his left. Levegh might have been looking in his mirrors at Fangio,  but in reality didn't have much time to react.  The back of the Healy was shaped like a ski ramp,  Levegh was doomed, sadly.

[Bob U]

Repeated tonight BBC4 at 23:00 for anyone that missed it.