[LM24 Race] 1955 the crash that almost ended motor racing

[mickey29]

My personal opinion and the reason for my discomfort:

The film was a fascinating and at times greatly moving attempt to demonstrate the tragic optimism of the 1950s.

The film was a programme of 3 acts and missed on a great opportunity to expand Act 3.

The first act; the build up and context was (from a spectator's point of view) an exciting pre race show. A (all too) brief description of each driver and team and more importantly, expressing the stories of the spectators who represented the survivors. The only negative comment I have is that I found the incidental music very intrusive.

Act 2 was both compelling and distressing. The tales of the spectators versus the near inhumanity of keeping the race going (although I understand why the organisers kept racing). My wife and I were both moved by the tales of the 3 spectators and (I can only speak for myself here) sickened by the racers.

The aftermath was the weakest part of the programme and missed a vital opportunity rally show the lasting affect this incident had on the sport.

I also felt uncomfortable after watching the programme. After some consideration I think my discomfort was caused by a conflict of 3 elements and emotions:

My excitement and wonderment about the size and nature of the spectacle that is Le Mans 24 hours (I have never been but love watching it)

My shock at the scale of the accident and the nature of peoples' injuries and the way that the people died.

Finally (and this caused me a restless night). I feel guilty. I love motor racing, I love the spectacle of cars and drivers cling to the edge as they battle. Yet the actions of the ACO, the drivers and the teams was not sport. In my opinion it was greed and desire.

That doesn't sit well with me as a fan of racing.

I do not condemn either racer involved in the accident. The incident was AN ACCIDENT. Macklin, Hawthorn and Levegh all paid a price for their racing.

I do condemn Hawthorn's celebrations and I applaud Mercedes for pulling out.

The race should have been stopped and humanity and humility should have been more in evidence.

The memorial is appropriate and I salute those who died and those who didn't.

That said, I am really looking forward to Le Mans this year as always.

[strider]

Originally Posted by mickey29

My personal opinion and the reason for my discomfort:

The film was a fascinating and at times greatly moving attempt to demonstrate the tragic optimism of the 1950s.

The film was a programme of 3 acts and missed on a great opportunity to expand Act 3.

The first act; the build up and context was (from a spectator's point of view) an exciting pre race show. A (all too) brief description of each driver and team and more importantly, expressing the stories of the spectators who represented the survivors. The only negative comment I have is that I found the incidental music very intrusive.

Act 2 was both compelling and distressing. The tales of the spectators versus the near inhumanity of keeping the race going (although I understand why the organisers kept racing). My wife and I were both moved by the tales of the 3 spectators and (I can only speak for myself here) sickened by the racers.

The aftermath was the weakest part of the programme and missed a vital opportunity rally show the lasting affect this incident had on the sport.

I also felt uncomfortable after watching the programme. After some consideration I think my discomfort was caused by a conflict of 3 elements and emotions:

My excitement and wonderment about the size and nature of the spectacle that is Le Mans 24 hours (I have never been but love watching it)

My shock at the scale of the accident and the nature of peoples' injuries and the way that the people died.

Finally (and this caused me a restless night). I feel guilty. I love motor racing, I love the spectacle of cars and drivers cling to the edge as they battle. Yet the actions of the ACO, the drivers and the teams was not sport. In my opinion it was greed and desire.

That doesn't sit well with me as a fan of racing.

I do not condemn either racer involved in the accident. The incident was AN ACCIDENT. Macklin, Hawthorn and Levegh all paid a price for their racing.

I do condemn Hawthorn's celebrations and I applaud Mercedes for pulling out.

The race should have been stopped and humanity and humility should have been more in evidence.

The memorial is appropriate and I salute those who died and those who didn't.

That said, I am really looking forward to Le Mans this year as always.

A very good post and one with which I entirely agree.

Much has been said and written about the tragedy and there are many contradictions, e.g. Wiki says that Jaguar did not celebrate after the race, whereas the film showed that they clearly did and that the French people were understandable disgusted by that.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by ClaireSmith

(we only have to look this week at the clerk of the COURT (not course) who felt compelled to tell a magistrate he shouldnt use the word "scum" to describe the defendants before him...nonsense in my opinion by the way))

Off topic comment alert I have to type this or my brain will explode! . An interesting comment (bearing in mind what I do for a living - and in reality, a 'clerk of the Court' is in modern parlance a 'Court Legal Adviser'...... For my sins, I manage 18 of them..... Thanks for reading, you've been a wonderful audience. Don't forget to try the veal and tip your waitress. We now return you to the topic

[nobster]

Will the film de available at the chatters stand under the grandstand?
They usually have lots of dvd's with them.

[AstonGeoff]

Originally Posted by nobster

Will the film de available at the chatters stand under the grandstand?
They usually have lots of dvd's with them.

Best bet is to drop them an email and ask, but I would have thought it would be on someones stand!

[johntt]

Originally Posted by mickey29

The race should have been stopped and humanity and humility should have been more in evidence.

I half agree.

As pointed out by the programme, stopping the race would have caused everyone to rush to the exits and would have impeded the efforts to get the injured to hospital.

After everything had been cleared up, then they should have stopped the race.

[MartinSmith]

Originally Posted by ClaireSmith

........... for what it is worth I will make an effort to see the memorial when I go this year, and, as I sit opposite the pits I will look down and to my right and spare a thought to those in 1955

Following on from my post and those words above, While there this year I did look down and spare a thought about the crash, I also managed to take in a french documentary on the crash (shown on the local TV network) , similair in many ways to the one discussed in this thread, though, I believe it gave a bigger insight into the event (there was more footage also)

It was a glorious sunny afternoon on Sunday, roundabout five maybe six o clock when all the celebration was over this year and all but a few remained at the track when I visited the memorial.

For me, personally, its simplicity is just, its location and its size to me is (if such a thing can be and forgive me if it offends) perfect and I will state my reason for that statement: In my opinion, given where it is and taking into account its surroundings, looking round up the Start/Finish Straight, opposite at the great stands above the pits, behind it at the stands and indeed the catchment fencing that now stands to protect, and the concrete barrier some six foot in front of it, it is, in my eyes as I said, only part of the greater memorial.

[PVDA]

Haven't seen the doco appear in Australia as yet but the main thing is that we must learn from history or we risk repeating it.

Safety systems have improved over the years and many of those who died may well be alive today if modern medical help was available back in 1955.

[Cougar]

This seems to be back in iplayer now again, for anyone who missed it before (UK only)

[AstonGeoff]

It was shown on BBC2 last night, so it'll be on iPlayer for a week.