1955 24 Hours of Le Mans

23rd 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 23rd 24 Hours of Le Mans and took place on 11 and 12 June 1955 on Circuit de la Sarthe. It was also the fourth round of the F. I. A. World Sports Car Championship. During the race, a crash killed driver Pierre Levegh and 83 spectators while injuring 120 others in the deadliest accident in motor racing history.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) again lifted the replenishment window (just changed the year before) of fuel, oil and water from 30 to 32 laps (just over 430 km), but by the same token, the maximum fuel allowance for all cars was increased to 200 litres for the race. On the track, road improvements continued with the whole back section, from Tertre Rouge around to Maison Blanche, resurfaced.

The race finished in drizzle. Bueb, in his first event for the Coventry marque, handed over the leading Jaguar to Hawthorn for the final 15 minutes, and they coasted to a comfortable victory, completing a record breaking 306 laps and finishing five laps ahead of the Aston Martin (achieving their best result to date, and only finish since 1951). The podium was completed by the Belgian pair of Johnny Claes and Jacques Swaters, in their yellow Ecurie Francorchamps Jaguar D Type. Although 11 laps (nearly 150 km) behind the winners, they were again a model of reliability. Porsche had its best finish yet with the trio of 1.5 litre Porsche 550 Spyders finishing fourth, fifth and sixth with Helmut Polensky and Richard von Frankenberg winning the S 1500 class, the Index of Performance, as well as the Biennial Cup. The Belgian Porsche had moved up the order late in the race to split the two works cars. Additionally the privateer Porsche comprehensively won the S 1100 class finishing nearly 40 laps ahead of the unclassified Cooper. The three car Bristol team finished seventh, eighth and ninth, in formation for a consecutive year at the top of two litre class. Managing director Sir George White donated the team's winnings to a charity for the disaster's victims. For the first time none of the Cunningham team cars finished. Spurring mentions that the official report cites "Levegh" and 80 spectators were killed and 178 were injured. The next round of the World Sports Car Championship at the Nürburgring was cancelled, as was the Carrera Panamericana. The accident caused widespread shock and immediate bans on auto racing in many countries. A number of racing teams including Mercedes Benz, MG and Bristol had disbanded and withdrawn from racing by the end of the season. The scale of the accident caused some drivers present, including Phil Walters (who had been offered a drive with Ferrari for the rest of the season A press photo showed him smiling on the podium swigging from the victor's bottle of champagne, and the French press ran it with the sarcastic headline "Here's to You, Mr Hawthorn". The official enquiry concluded that no one driver was to blame and that it was instead a tragic combination of circumstances that had caused the accident, including serious deficiencies in the track design and safety. On the same day, the ACO announced their intent to hold the Le Mans race in 1956, and to make modifications to the Circuit de la Sarthe as necessary to adhere to the Ministry's new regulations. Before the 1956 event, the grandstands and pits were demolished, as well as straightening and widening the track at and approaching the pits, and realigning Dunlop Curve. They increased the separation between the road and the spectators including a wide ditch, and revised other hazardous stretches of the track. Track safety technology and practices evolved slowly until Formula 1 driver Jackie Stewart organized a concerted campaign to advocate for better safety measures 10 years later. Stewart's campaign gained momentum after the deaths of Lorenzo Bandini and Jim Clark.

Results taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the ACO. Class Winners are in bold text. Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Laps 1 S5.0 6 Jaguar Cars Ltd. Mike Hawthorn Ivor Bueb Jaguar D Type Jaguar 3.4L S6 307 2 S3.0 23 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Peter Collins Paul Frère Aston Martin DB3S Aston Martin 2.9L S6 302 3 S5.0 10 Ecurie Francorchamps Jacques Swaters Johnny Claes Jaguar D Type Jaguar 3.4L S6 296 4 S1.5 37 Porsche KG Helmut Polensky Richard von Frankenberg Porsche 550 RS Spyder Porsche 1498cc F4 284 5 S1.5 66Reserve Ecurie Belge / Gustave Olivier Wolfgang Seidel Olivier Gendebien Porsche 550 RS Spyder Porsche 1498cc F4 276 6 S1.5 62 Porsche KG Helmut 'Helm' Glöckler/ Jaroslav Juhan Porsche 550 RS Spyder Porsche 1498cc F4 273 7 S2.0 34 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Peter Wilson Jim Mayers Bristol 450C Bristol 1979cc S6 271 8 S2.0 33 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Mike Keen Tommy Line Bristol 450C Bristol 1979cc S6 270 9 S2.0 32 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Tommy Wisdom Jack Fairman Bristol 450C Bristol 1979cc S6 268 10 S2.0 35 Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd. Marcel Becquart Richard ‘Dickie’ Stoop Frazer Nash Sebring Bristol 1971cc S6 260 11 S1.5 40 Edgar Fronteras(private entrant) Giulio Cabianca Giuseppe Scorbati O. S. C. A. MT 4 O. S. C. A. 1491cc S4 256 12 S1.5 41 MG Cars Ltd. Ken Miles John Lockett MG EX.182 MG 1489cc S4 249 13 S1.1 49 Porsche KG Auguste Veuillet Zora Arkus Duntov Porsche 550 RS Spyder Porsche 1097cc S4 245 14 S2.0 28 Standard Triumph Ltd. Ninian Sanderson Bob Dickson Triumph TR2 Triumph 1991cc S4 242 15 S2.0 29 Standard Triumph Ltd. Ken Richardson Bert Hadley Triumph TR2 Triumph 1991cc S4 242 16 S750 63 Ecurie Jeudy Bonnet Louis Cornet Robert Mougin DB HBR MC Panhard 745cc F2 236 17 S1.5 64 MG Cars Ltd. Ted Lund Hans Waeffler MG EX.182 MG 1489cc S4 234 18 S1.5 65 Gustave Olivier(private entrant) Gonzague Olivier Josef Jeser Porsche 550 RS Spyder Porsche 1498cc F4 234 N/C * S2.0 68Reserve Standard Triumph Ltd. Leslie Brooke Mortimer Morris Goodall Triumph TR2 Triumph 1991cc S4 214 19 S750 59 Ecurie Jeudy Bonnet Louis Héry Georges Trouis DB HBR Spyder Panhard 745cc F2 209 N/C * S1.1 47 Cooper Car Co. John Brown Edgar Wadsworth Cooper T39 Coventry Climax 1098cc S4 207
Note *: Not Classified because of Insufficient distance, as car failed to cover 70% of its class winner's distance.

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Laps Reason DNF S3.0 16 Officine Alfieri Maserati Luigi Musso Luigi "Gino" Valenzano Maserati 300S Maserati 3.0L S6 239 Gearbox (20hr) DNF S3.0 22 Briggs Cunningham Briggs Cunningham Sherwood Johnston Cunningham C6 R Offenhauser 2.9L S4 196 Piston (19hr) DNF S5.0 7 Jaguar Cars Ltd. Tony Rolt Duncan Hamilton Jaguar D Type Jaguar 3.4L S6 186 Gearbox (16hr) DNF S2.0 30 Automobiles Gordini Hermano da Silva Ramos Jacques Pollet Gordini T15S Gordini 1987cc S8 145 Holed radiator (14hr) DNF S750 52 Société Monopole Jean Hémard Pierre Flahault Monopole X86 Panhard 745cc F2 145 Accident (23hr) DNF S750 60 Automobili Stanguellini René Philippe Faure Pierre Duval Stanguellini S750 Bialbero Stanguellini 740cc S4 136 Ignition (17hr) DNF S3.0 19 Daimler Benz AG Juan Manuel Fangio Stirling Moss Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Mercedes Benz 3.0L S8 134 Withdrawn (10hr) DNF S3.0 21 Daimler Benz AG Karl Kling André Simon Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Mercedes Benz 3.0L S8 130 Withdrawn (10hr) DNF S1.1 51 Automobiles Panhard et Levassor René Cotton André Beaulieux Panhard VM 5 Panhard 850cc F2 108 Gearbox (13hr) DNF S5.0 5 Scuderia Ferrari Maurice Trintignant Harry Schell Ferrari 735 LM Ferrari 4.4L S6 107 Clutch (10hr) DNF S5.0 8 Jaguar Cars Ltd. Don Beauman Norman Dewis Jaguar D Type Jaguar 3.4L S6 106 Accident (11hr) DNF S3.0 24 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Roy Salvadori Peter Walker Aston Martin DB3S Aston Martin 2.9L S6 105 Engine (10hr) DNF S3.0 12 "Heldé" "Heldé" (Pierre Louis Dreyfus) Jean Lucas Ferrari 750 Monza Ferrari 3.0L S4 104 Distributor (10hr) DNF S750 58 Ecurie Jeudy Bonnet Paul Armagnac Gérard Laureau DB HBR MC Panhard 745cc F2 101 Wheel (23hr) DSQ S1.1 48 Lotus Engineering Colin Chapman Ron Flockhart Lotus Mark IX Coventry Climax 1098cc S4 99 reversed on track (12hr) DNF S2.0 31 Officine Alfieri Maserati Carlo Tomasi Francesco Giardini Maserati 200S Maserati 1986cc S4 96 Distributor (9hr) DNF S1.1 50 Automobiles Panhard et Levassor Pierre Chancel Robert Chancel Panhard VM 5 Panhard 850cc F2 94 Fuel system (11hr) DNF S5.0 1 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Reg Parnell Dennis Poore Lagonda DP 166 Lagonda 4.5L V12 93 Out of fuel (8hr) DNF S3.0 25 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Tony Brooks John Riseley Pritchard Aston Martin DB3S Aston Martin 2.9L S6 83 Battery (9hr) DNF S3.0 27 J. P. Colas(private entrant) Jean Paul Colas Jacques Dewez Salmson 2300S Cabriolet Salmson 2.3L L4 82 Oil leak (9hr) DNF S5.0 3 Scuderia Ferrari Umberto Maglioli Phil Hill Ferrari 735 LM Ferrari 4.4L S6 76 Clutch (7hr) DNF S1.5 38 W. Ringgenberg(private entrant) Walter Ringgenberg Hans Jörg Gilomen Porsche 550/4 Porsche 1498cc F4 65 Engine (8hr) DNF S1.5 43 Connaught Engineering Kenneth McAlpine Eric Thompson Connaught AL/SR Lea Francis 1484cc S4 60 Engine (9hr) DNF S5.0 4 Scuderia Ferrari Eugenio Castellotti Paolo Marzotto Ferrari 735 LM Ferrari 4.4L S6 52 Engine (5hr) DNF S2.0 69 A. Constantin(private entrant) Jacques Savoye Jacques Poch Constantin 203C Spyder Peugeot 1425cc S4 Supercharged 52 Gearbox (9hr) DNF S1.1 46 Kieft Cars Ltd. Alan Rippon Ray Merrick Kieft Sport Coventry Climax 1098cc S4 47 Oil leak (6hr) DNF S750 57 Ecurie Jeudy Bonnet René Bonnet Claude Storez D. B. HBR Panhard 745cc F2 44 Distributor (9hr) DNF S5.0 9 Briggs Cunningham Phil Walters William "Bill" Spear Jaguar D Type Jaguar 3.4L S6 43 Engine (Valve) (7hr) DNF S5.0 11 Cooper Car Co Peter Whitehead Graham Whitehead Cooper T38 Jaguar 3.4L S6 38 Oil leak (4hr) DNF S3.0 20 Daimler Benz AG "Pierre Levegh" (Pierre Bouillin) John Fitch Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Mercedes Benz 3.0L L8 34 Fatal accident (3hr) DNF S2.0 36 Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd. Cecil Vard Dick Odlum Frazer Nash Sebring Bristol 1971cc S6 33 Engine (6hr) DNF S750 53 Société Monopole Francis Navarro Jean de Montrémy Monopole Sport X88 Panhard 745cc F2 30 Oil leak (6hr) DNF S3.0 26 Lance Macklin(private entrant) Lance Macklin Les Leston Austin Healey 100 S BMC A90 2.7L S4 28 Accident damage (6hr) DNF S1.5 42 MG Cars Ltd. Dick Jacobs Joe Flynn MG EX.182 MG 1489cc S4 27 Accident (6hr) DNF S750 56 Automobiles VP Yves Giraud Cabantous Yves Lesur VP 166R Renault 747cc S4 26 Engine (8hr) DNF S3.0 15 Officine Alfieri Maserati Roberto Mieres Cesare Perdisa Maserati 300S Maserati 3.0L S6 24 Gearbox (6hr) DNF S3.0 14 "Mike Sparken"(private entrant) "Mike Sparken" (Michel Pobejersky) Masten Gregory Ferrari 750 Monza Ferrari 3.0L S4 23 Engine (piston) (3hr) DNF S750 61 Ufficine Nardi Dr. Mario Damonte Roger Crovetto Nardi ‘Damolnar’ Bisiluro Giannini 735cc S4 5 Accident (1hr) DNF S1.5 39 Kieft Cars Ltd. Berwyn Baxter John Deeley Kieft Sport Turner 1493cc S4 4 Overheating (1hr)

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Reason DNS S5.0 2 Ecurie Rosier Louis Rosier Georges Grignard Talbot Lago T26 GS Spyder Talbot 4.5L S6 Engine DNS S3.0 17 Automobiles Gordini Robert Manzon Élie Bayol Jean Behra Gordini T24S Gordini 3.0L S8 Accident in practice DNS S1.1 45 Arnott Racing Cars Jim Russell Peter Taylor Arnott Sports Coventry Climax 1098cc S4 Accident in practice DNS S750 54 Moretti Automobili Lino Fayen Herman Rogenry Moretti 750S Moretti 750cc S4 Took grid too late DNS S750 55 Moretti Automobili Giorgio Ubezzi Mesnest Bellanger Moretti 750S Moretti 750cc S4 Took grid too late Reserve S750 70 Société Pierre Ferry Jacques Blaché Louis Pons Ferry Sports F750 Renault 747cc S4 Reserve S750 72 Automobiles VP Jean Marie Dumazer André Héchard Jérôme Pourond VP 155R Renault 747cc S4 Reserve S750 75 Ecurie Rosier Jean Louis Rosier Jean Estager Renault 4CV/1068 Spyder Renault 747cc S4

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Score 1 S1.5 37 Porsche KG Helmut Polensky Richard von Frankenberg Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.241 2 S5.0 6 Jaguar Cars Ltd. Mike Hawthorn Ivor Bueb Jaguar D Type 1.232 3 S3.0 23 Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd Peter Collins Paul Frère Aston Martin DB3S 1.228 4 S1.5 66Reserve Ecurie Belge / Gustave Olivier Wolfgang Seidel Olivier Gendebien Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.204 5 S1.5 62 Porsche KG Helmut Glöckler/ Jaroslav Juhan Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.193 6 S5.0 10 Ecurie Francorchamps Jacques Swaters Johnny Claes Jaguar D Type 1.186 7 S750 63 Ecurie Jeudy Bonnet Louis Cornet Robert Mougin DB HBR MC 1.179 8 S2.0 34 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Peter Wilson Jim Mayers Bristol 450C 1.139 9 S2.0 33 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Mike Keen Tommy Line Bristol 450C 1.131 10 S1.1 49 Porsche KG Auguste Veuillet Zora Arkus Duntov Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.128
Only the top ten positions are included in this set of standings. A score of 1.00 means meeting the minimum distance for the car, and a higher score is exceeding the nominal target distance.

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Score 1 S1.5 37 Porsche KG Helmut Polensky Richard von Frankenberg Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.241 2 S1.5 62 Porsche KG Helmut Glöckler/ Jaroslav Juhan Porsche 550 RS Spyder 1.193 3 S2.0 33 Bristol Aeroplane Co. Mike Keen Tommy Line Bristol 450C 1.131