A Day That Shook The World: Le Mans 24 race disaster
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Your support makes all the difference.On 11 June 1955, the famous Le Mans 24-hour race ended in tragedy when a Mercedes flipped and crashed into the crowd, killing 84 people and injuring hundreds more.
The race was the fastest ever, faster than Formula 1 at the time, while safety measures were limited, especially by modern standards. Amazingly, organisers allowed the race to continue, allowing Mike Hawthorn to cruise to a subdued victory in his Jaguar.
Watch dramatic original footage from the crash in this British Pathé video, above.
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