Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:1955 24 Hours of Le Mans

{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{Short description|23rd 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race}}
{{redirect|Le Mans 1955|the short film|Le Mans 1955 (film)}}
{{Le Mans Races
| Previous = 1954
| Current = 1955
| Next = 1956
}}
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 [[1955 World Sportscar Championship|F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship]]. During the race, a crash killed driver [[Pierre Levegh]] and 83 spectators while injuring 120 others in [[1955 Le Mans disaster|the deadliest accident in motor racing history]].
[[File:Le_Mans_Circuit_de_la_Sarthe_1932-1967.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Le Mans in 1955]]

==Regulations==
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&nbsp;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.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.214">Spurring 2011, p.214</ref><ref name="Moity 1974, p.60">Moity 1974, p.60</ref>

==Entries==
A total of 87 racing cars were registered for this event, of which 70 arrived for practice, to qualify for the 60 places on the starting grid, and included 15 factory teams.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.215">Spurring 2011, p.215</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Category
! Classes
! Entries
|-
| Large-engines
| S-5000 / S-3000
|26 +1 reserve
|-
| Medium-engines
| S-2000 / S-1500
| 17 +7 reserves
|-
| Small-engines
| S-1100 / S-750
| 17 +4 reserves
|-
|}

The battle between Coventry and Maranello of the [[1954 24 Hours of Le Mans|previous year]] was joined by [[Mercedes-Benz]], fresh from a triumphant debut in the [[1955 Mille Miglia|Mille Miglia]] with their new [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR|300SLR]], along with [[dark horse]]s [[Briggs Cunningham|Cunningham]], [[Aston Martin]] and [[Maserati]], all with new 3-litre cars, as well as [[Talbot (automobile)|Talbot]], [[Gordini]], [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]], and [[Austin-Healey]]. It led observers to anticipate a great contest.

Title-holders [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] arrived with the new [[Ferrari 735 LM|735 LM]], powered by a straight-six engine derived from the previous year's Formula 1 car (and stepping away from the usual 12-cylinder Ferrari engines) producing a {{convert|360|bhp|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Moity 1974, p.60"/><ref name="Laban 2001, p.116">Laban 2001, p.116</ref> The works team mixed its current F1 drivers along with new talent: [[Eugenio Castellotti]] with Paolo Marzotto, [[Maurice Trintignant]] with [[Harry Schell]] and [[Umberto Maglioli]] drove with [[Phil Hill]]. Maglioli and Hill had been Ferrari rivals in the previous [[1954 Carrera Panamericana|''Carrera Panamericana'']].<ref name="Cannell 2011, p.65">Cannell 2011, p.65</ref> There were also two 3-litre [[Ferrari Monza#750 Monza|750 Monza]]s run by French private entries.

Having conquered Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz had now turned its attention to sports car racing. Their 300SLRs were rated by many experts as the best sports cars in the world. The [[Fuel injection|fuel-injected]] 3-litre straight-8 was the most advanced of the entire field, producing {{convert|300|bhp|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Moity 1974, p.60"/> The inboard drum brakes, however, were only questionably adequate for the heavier chassis, facing the tough braking demands of Le Mans. To compensate, a hand-operated air brake was added to the rear deck for high speed braking.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.221">Spurring 2011, p.221</ref> Team manager [[Alfred Neubauer]], in a remarkably diplomatic move (recalling the war had only ended 10 years earlier), assembled a multi-national team for the race, pairing his two best drivers [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] and [[Stirling Moss]] in the lead car, 1952 race-winner [[Karl Kling]] with Frenchman [[André Simon (racing driver)|André Simon]] (both also in the current F1 team) and American [[John Fitch (racing driver)|John Fitch]] with one of the elder statesmen of French motor-racing, [[Pierre Levegh]].<ref name=Bell>John Fitch, "Racing with Mercedes" (Photo Data Research, {{ISBN|978-0-9705073-6-5}}, 2005)</ref><ref name="sportscardigest.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportscardigest.com/1955-24-hours-of-le-mans-race-profile/|title=1955 24 Hours of le Mans - History, Profile, Information and Photos|date=15 August 2020}}</ref> (Belgian racing-journalist [[Paul Frère]] had originally been approached but signed to drive for [[Aston Martin]], instead.<ref name="Moity 1974, p.59">Moity 1974, p.59</ref>)

[[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]] arrived with three works [[Jaguar D-Type|D-type]]s. This year's model had engine power increased from {{convert|250|to|270|bhp|abbr=on}}, for a top speed of almost {{convert|280|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.219">Spurring 2011, p.219</ref> The team consisted of [[1953 24 Hours of Le Mans|1953]] winners [[Tony Rolt]] and [[Duncan Hamilton (racing driver)|Duncan Hamilton]]; up-and-coming English star [[Mike Hawthorn]] (stolen from Ferrari) paired with rookie [[Ivor Bueb]]; and Jaguar test driver [[Norman Dewis]] sharing the third car with [[Don Beauman]]. They were backed up by D-Types entered by Belgium's ''[[Ecurie Francorchamps]]'' and from American [[Briggs Cunningham]]'s team.
[[File:Cunningham C6-R, front right at Greenwich 2018.jpg|alt=Cunningham C6-R, driven by Cunningham and Johnston|thumb|Cunningham C6-R, driven by Cunningham and Johnston. It wore #22 during the race and retired early.]]
Cunningham hedged his bets this year – along with the Jaguar he loaned 750 Monzas to French privateer Michel Pobejersky (racing as "[[Mike Sparken]]") and American [[Masten Gregory]]. He also brought (for the last time, as it happened) a new Cunningham C6-R, giving up on a big V8 Hemi to instead use an Indianapolis-style [[Offenhauser]] 3.0L straight-4.<ref name="Laban 2001, p.117">Laban 2001, p.117</ref> He and [[Sherwood Johnston]] would race it.

The Maserati team did make it this year – with a pair of their elegant new 3.0L [[Maserati 300S|300S]]s, which had already shown promise at Sebring. They were run by the team's regular F1 drivers, one shared by [[Roberto Mieres]] and [[Cesare Perdisa]], the other by [[Luigi Musso]] and endurance racing veteran [[Gino Valenzano|Luigi "Gino" Valenzano]]. Maserati also ran a smaller [[Maserati A6|A6GCS]] in the S-2000 class.

Louis Rosier's privateer Talbot did not make the start, so the large-engined French challenge this year came from Gordini with a 3-litre T24S for F1 drivers [[Jean Behra]] and [[Élie Bayol]]. Like Maserati, they also ran a smaller T20S in the S-2000 class.

There was great interest for British fans, aside from the Jaguar team. In total there were 27 British cars starting, nearly half the field.<ref name="Clausager 1982, p.93">Clausager 1982, p.93</ref>  Aston Martin pared back its effort a bit, to just three [[Aston Martin DB3S|DB3S]] (now with disc brakes and an improved {{convert|225|bhp|abbr=on}} 3-litre engine<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.228">Spurring 2011, p.228</ref>). They came with a good driver line-up: [[Peter Collins (racing driver)|Peter Collins]] and [[Paul Frère]], 1951 winner [[Peter Walker (racing driver)|Peter Walker]] and [[Roy Salvadori]], and rookies [[Tony Brooks (racing driver)|Tony Brooks]] and [[John Riseley-Prichard]]. They also persisted with the Lagonda project – the 4.5L V12 being biggest engine in the field. This year [[Reg Parnell]] was co-driven by [[Dennis Poore]].

After boycotting the previous year's race, Austin-Healey returned with a single [[Austin-Healey 100#100S|100S]] prototype. Cooper brought two cars – one a Jaguar-engined T38, the other, a T39, with a Climax engine. In the S-2000 class, along with a pair each of [[Triumph TR2]]s and [[Frazer Nash]] Sebrings, Bristol was back, this time with its 450C open-top variant. To save pit-time, the team also pioneered a multi-barrel spanner to remove and re-apply all the wheelnuts together when changing the wheel.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.230">Spurring 2011, p.230</ref> MG returned after 20 years with the EX.182 prototype – a 1.5L forerunner of the upcoming [[MG MGA|MGA]] roadster.<ref name="Clausager 1982, p.93"/> [[Colin Chapman]], racing with Scotsman [[Ron Flockhart (racing driver)|Ron Flockhart]] arrived with his new Lotus 9 sports car – like the other small English firms Kieft, Cooper and [[Arnott (automobile)|Arnott]], running the 1100cc Climax engine.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.231">Spurring 2011, p.231</ref>

After a fortuitous class victory in 1954, Porsche arrived in force with a mix of works and (nominally) private entries: four cars in the S-1500 and two in the S-1100 classes. In contrast, after the despair of their 1954 race, [[O.S.C.A.|OSCA]] only had a single privateer in the S-1500 class.
[[File:1954 DB-Panhard 750 Barquette (Trouis).jpg|thumb|DB of Louis Héry and Georges Trouis. It wore #59 and finished 19th overall.]]
The smallest, S-750, class was again dominated by French cars, from Panhard, [[Monopole (company)|Monopole]], DB (all with Panhard engines), and VP-Renault. Panhard also fielded two bigger, 850cc-engined, cars that had to run in the S-1100 class. However several Italian teams arrived to take on the French with entries from Moretti and Stanguellini. Perhaps the most unusual entry was the tiny catamaran-style ''Damolnar Bisiluro'' from [[Nardi (carmaker)|Ufficine Nardi]] – where the driver sat in one boom and the engine and running gear was in the other.

==Practice==
As expected, the Ferraris showed themselves to be extremely fast on a single lap, and Castellotti set the fastest official time, easily breaking the lap record and was a second quicker than Fangio in his Mercedes. But there were also a number of serious accidents during practice: Moss was leaving the pits just as the DB-Panhard of Claude Storez came in, the small car hit [[Jean Behra]]. While both cars were able to start the race, Behra had face and leg injuries that forced him out, to be replaced by reserve driver [[Robert Manzon]].<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.225">Spurring 2011, p.225</ref> Coming into Maison Blanche,  Behra's erstwhile teammate [[Élie Bayol]] in the new Gordini T24S came upon two spectators crossing the track. He swerved and rolled the car and was taken to hospital with a fractured skull and broken vertebrae; Peter Taylor was also severely injured when he crashed the new Arnott. Levegh came in after a close brush with a Gordini, commenting "We have to get some sort of signal system working. Our cars go too fast".<ref name="Death at Le Mans">{{cite magazine |url= http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861612,00.html |title=Death at Le Mans |magazine=Time |location=USA |date=20 June 1955}}</ref> Neubauer tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade the ACO to allow him to erect a small signalling tower at the top of pit-line for his team.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.223">Spurring 2011, p.223</ref>

As a comparison, some of the lap-times recorded during practice were:<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.132">Clarke 1997, p.132: Road & Track Sept 1955</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Position
! Car
! Driver(s)
! Best Time
|-
| 1
| Ferrari 735 LM No. 4
| Castellotti
| 4min 14sec
|-
| 2
| Mercedes-Benz 300SLR No. 19
| Fangio
| 4min 15sec
|-
| 3
| Mercedes-Benz 300SLR No. 21
| Kling
| 
|-
| 4
| Jaguar D-Type No. 6
| Hawthorn
|
|-
| 5
| Ferrari 735 LM No. 3
| Maglioli / Hill
| 4min 21sec
|-
| -
| Maserati 300S No. 16
| Musso / Valenzano
| 4min 23sec
|-
| -
| Gordini T20S No. 30
| Ramos / Pollet
| 4min 47sec
|-
| -
| Porsche 550 RS Spyder
| 
| 4min 50sec
|-
| -
| Panhard VM-5
| 
| < 4min 50sec
|-
|}

Over the flying kilometre on the Mulsanne straight, the following top speeds in practice and the race were recorded:<ref name="Moity 1974, p.60"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Car
! Engine
! Maximum Speed
|-
| Ferrari 735 LM
| Ferrari 4.4L S6
|291.2&nbsp;km/h
|-
| Jaguar D-Type
| Jaguar 3.4L S6
| 281.9&nbsp;km/h
|-
| Mercedes-Benz 300SLR
| Mercedes-Benz 3.0L S8
| 270.7&nbsp;km/h
|-
| Cunningham C6-R
| Offenhauser 3.0L S4 
| 237.6&nbsp;km/h
|-
| Aston Martin DB3S
| Aston Martin 2.9L S6
| 236.8&nbsp;km/h
|-
| Porsche 550 RS Spyder
| Porsche 1.5L F4
| 225.3&nbsp;km/h
|-
| D.B. HBR-MC
| Panhard 745cc F2
| 170.8&nbsp;km/h
|-
|}

==Race==

===Start===
This year the honorary starter was ''Conte'' Aymo Maggi, the President and organiser of the Mille Miglia.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.212">Spurring 2011, p.212</ref><ref name="Clarke 1997, p.133">Clarke 1997, p.133: Road & Track Sept 1955</ref> Giovanni Moretti's two cars arrived on the start grid a few minutes after the 2pm deadline and were excluded from starting.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.117">Clarke 1997, p.117: Autosport Jun24 1955</ref>
It was Castellotti, by dint of being near the front of the grid formation, who was first under the Dunlop Bridge and leading the first lap, followed by Hawthorn in the Jaguar.  Fangio's start was delayed when his trouser leg snagged on the gear shift lever, but he worked his way up the field to join Hawthorn and Castellotti. The crowd's expectations of a showdown between the three top marques were soon fulfilled as, by lap 4, the three manufacturers’ works cars filled the top 8 places – excepting Trintignant's Ferrari in the pits with an early issue.  One of the first casualties was on lap 5 as the leaders started lapping the backmarkers – the tiny Nardi was literally blown off the road into a ditch by the slipstream of the bigger cars.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.232">Spurring 2011, p.232</ref> The pace was furious but Castellotti managed to keep Hawthorn and Fangio at bay for the first hour. Behind them was Maglioli's Ferrari, the American Jaguar, the other pair of works Mercedes-Benz's and Jaguars and in 10th Mieres in the Maserati.

Finally, after 70 minutes, it was Castellotti's mistake braking for the Mulsanne corner that let the Jaguar and Mercedes through.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.133"/> Those two then set about pushing harder still, dropping the Ferrari and successively beating the lap record – broken ten times in the first two hours and finally claimed by Hawthorn on lap 28 – setting it over 7 seconds faster than the Ferrari's practice lap.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.215"/><ref name="Moity 1974, p.57">Moity 1974, p.57</ref>
[[File:Décollage de la Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR au Mans 1955.png|alt=Levegh's Mercedes-Benz becomes airborne after colliding with Macklin's Austin-Healey|thumb|Levegh's Mercedes-Benz becomes airborne after colliding with Macklin's Austin-Healey. On the left, Hawthorne's Jaguar is seen entering the pits.]]
At 6.20pm, at the end of lap 35 when the first pit-stops were due, the [[1955 Le Mans disaster]] occurred. Having got the order from his Jaguar crew to pit, Hawthorn braked sharply in front of [[Lance Macklin]]'s Austin-Healey.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.130">Clarke 1997, p.130: Road & Track Sept 1955</ref> Macklin then braked hard, getting off the right-hand edge of the track and throwing up dust.<ref name="Foster 2013, p.1968">Foster 2013, p.1968</ref><ref name="Whitaker 2014, p.88">Whitaker 2014, p.88</ref><ref name="Anderson 2000, p.14">Anderson 2000, p.14</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Spurgeon|first1=Brad|title=On Auto Racing's Deadliest Day|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/12/sports/autoracing/on-auto-racings-deadliest-day.html?_r=0|publisher=The New York Times Company, Inc.|access-date=1 September 2015|date=11 June 2015}}</ref> Macklin's car then veered back to the centre of the track, into the path of Levegh's Mercedes-Benz, which was running 6th having just gone a lap down. Travelling at 150&nbsp;mph, Levegh's right-front wheel rode up onto the left rear corner of Macklin's, launching the car into the air and rolling end over end for 80 metres over spectators.

The car slammed into a four-foot earthen embankment – the only barrier between the spectators and the track - and disintegrated. The momentum of the heaviest components of the car – the engine, radiator and front suspension - carried them into the crowd for almost 100 metres. Those who had climbed onto ladders and scaffolding to get a better view of the track found themselves in the direct path of the lethal debris. The remainder of the car, on the earth bank, exploded into flames, burning with extra heat from its magnesium-alloy body. Levegh was killed instantly in the impact.

Race officials kept the race running, reasoning that if the huge crowd tried to leave ''en masse'' it would clog the roads, severely restricting access for medical and emergency crews trying to save the injured. Hawthorn, after being initially waved through his stop because of the confusion and potential danger, stopped along with the other lead cars for their scheduled pit stops and driver changes. Then thirteen minutes later, the [[MG Cars|MG]] of Dick Jacobs lost control exiting Maison Blanche, rolled and landed upside-down, burning. Jacobs survived the accident, but was severely injured and never raced again.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.231"/>
Phil Hill, now driving Maglioli's Ferrari noted "At this point I was numbed by it all, shocked that all this could be happening at once and on my first-ever Ferrari racing lap of Le Mans. But then Stirling Moss went by me like a streak in his Mercedes 300 SLR, and that woke me up. That was a lesson I never forgot, which was that when something happens, get on the gas."<ref name="Hill 2004, p.122">Hill 2004, p.122</ref><ref name="Cannell 2011, p.75">Cannell 2011, p.75</ref>

His teammates, Castellotti and Marzotto, were the first of the leaders to falter: a slipping clutch eventually led to engine failure just before 8pm. Maglioli and Hill took up their third place until they too were stopped about 11pm when a rock pierced their radiator.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.223"/>

===Night===
With the driver changes from Hawthorn to Bueb and Fangio to Moss, the Jaguar team's talent was outmatched and the Mercedes team was able to extend its lead.  At midnight, the Mercedes of Fangio/Moss was leading Hawthorn/Bueb by two laps, themselves two laps ahead of the Kling/Simon Mercedes and the other two works Jaguars all scrapping between themselves. Further back were Musso's Maserati, Collins’ Aston Martin, the Belgian Jaguar and the remaining big Ferrari fighting its way up from the back of the field. 
The race remained competitive, however with Hawthorn behind the wheel, as the lead was whittled down to 1½ laps by 2am.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishpathe.com/search/query/le+mans+1955|title=Le Mans 1955 - Reel 2 Part 4 }}</ref>  The other Mercedes still trailed the Hawthorn/Bueb car by two laps.  Race spotters' reports on the Mercedes' braking points led the Jaguar team to believe that their brakes were weakening.<ref name=Skilleter>{{cite web|url=http://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/lemans.php|title=Paul Skilleter, Le Mans|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216192133/http://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/lemans.php|archive-date=2007-02-16}}</ref>

After the catastrophic accident, [[John Fitch (racing driver)|John Fitch]], picking up on the early media reports, had urged the Mercedes team to withdraw from the race – he could see that win or lose, it would be a PR disaster for the company.<ref name="Cannell 2011, p.75"/> Mercedes team manager Alfred Neubauer had already reached the same conclusion but did not have the authority to make such a decision. After an emergency meeting of the company directors in [[Stuttgart]], Neubauer finally got the call approving the team's withdrawal just before midnight. Waiting until 1.45am, when many spectators had left, he stepped onto the track and quietly called his cars into the pits, at the time running 1st and 3rd.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.218">Spurring 2011, p.218</ref> The public address made a brief announcement regarding their retirement. Chief engineer [[Rudolf Uhlenhaut]] went to the Jaguar pits to ask if the Jaguar team would respond in kind, out of respect for the accident's victims.  Jaguar team manager [[Lofty England]] declined.<ref name=Skilleter/>

Meanwhile, Don Beauman had planted his works Jaguar in the sandtrap at Arnage. Having taken over an hour to dig it out, he had just got it free after 10 pm when Colin Chapman came off at Arnage and smacked the Jaguar. Chapman quickly reversed and got going again only to be disqualified because he had restarted without the marshal's permission<ref name="Moity 1974, p.60"/><ref name="Spurring 2011, p.234">Spurring 2011, p.234</ref>

The Aston Martins had been running to a strict lap-time set by team manager [[John Wyer]], but keeping just in the top-10. Either side of midnight two of them were sidelined by mechanical issues. They followed their sister-Lagonda that had run out of fuel from a loose-fitting filler-cap.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.228"/>

Soon after the Mercedes-Benz team withdrawal, the last Ferrari (that of Trintignant / Schell) retired with engine trouble, having fought back up to 10th position. With no further challenge from Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari, Jaguar were holding a comfortable 1–2, although Rolt and Hamilton were having problems with their gearbox.

In the 2-litre category, the Maserati and Gordini had been battling each other, well ahead of the British cars and just outside the top-10. The Gordini was delayed by a defective battery, but the Maserati then retired just after midnight with ignition failure. Even at this stage though, the two works 1500cc Porsches were ahead of these bigger cars. Further back, third in class, was the Belgian-entered Porsche (giving a first Le Mans drive to future endurance great [[Olivier Gendebien]])

===Morning===
Dawn broke under a heavy, overcast sky and by 6am it had started to rain.  Soon after, the class-leading Gordini pitted with a holed-radiator just two laps before its replenishment window. Trying to inch its way round the circuit it over-heated and had to retire.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.225"/> The S-2000 class fell into the lap of the Bristols. Around 8am, the second Jaguar's gearbox finally seized and they were out. With gloomy weather and little enthusiasm now for the race, the running order saw few changes. Second place remained in contention until late morning as the Valenzano/Musso Maserati, five laps down from the leader, was pushing hard and being chased by the Collins/Frère Aston Martin until the Maserati retired with a seized transmission.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.129">Clarke 1997, p.129: Autocar Jun17 1955</ref>  About the same time the Cunningham also retired: never in the running, lapping in 13th behind the smaller Porsches and Bristols, it had lost its lower gears the night before.

A special mass was held in the morning in the [[Le Mans Cathedral]] for the first funerals of the accident victims.

===Finish===
[[File:1955 Jaguar D Type (31326424024).jpg|alt=The winning Jaguar D-Type of Hawthorn and Bueb|thumb|The winning Jaguar D-Type of Hawthorn and Bueb]]
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&nbsp;km) behind the winners, they were again a model of reliability.<ref name="wsrp.ic.cz">{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsrp.cz/wsc1955.html#4|title=World Sports Racing Prototypes - World Championship 1955}}</ref><ref name="teamdan.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1955/55lemans.html |title=1955 Le Mans 24 Hrs |access-date=2015-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232029/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1955/55lemans.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Porsche had its best finish yet with the trio of 1.5 litre [[Porsche 550|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 Aeroplane Company|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.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.230"/> After their debacle of the previous year's race, the only Italian car to finish this year was the 1.5L OSCA. Two of the DB-Panhards were the only French cars to finish in the normally reliable small-car classes.<ref name="Moity 1974, p.60"/><ref name="Spurring 2011, p.233">Spurring 2011, p.233</ref>
For the first time none of the Cunningham team cars finished.<ref name="Laban 2001, p.117"/>

Despite the disaster and poor weather, there were a number of new records set: Both first and second beat the old distance record – and five new class records were set. In fact, the two leading 1.5L Porsches both went further than the overall distance covered by the 1952-winning Mercedes-Benz.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.117"/> The opening hours had also seen the lap record broken by a significant margin.

==Post-race and aftermath==
{{see also|1955 Le Mans disaster}}

The catastrophic crash, which came to be known as the 1955 Le Mans disaster, remains the deadliest accident in the history of motorsport. The actual death toll is uncertain, put at from 80 to 84, including Levegh, with many more than that number severely injured.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.215"/><ref name="Bell"/><ref name="sportscardigest.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ewilkins.com/wilko/lemans.htm|title = 1955 le Mans Disaster}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptx|title = BBC Four - the Deadliest Crash: The le Mans 1955 Disaster}}</ref>  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<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.221"/>), Sherwood Johnston, and John Fitch (after completing the season with Mercedes-Benz), to retire from racing. Fitch was coaxed out of retirement by his friend Briggs Cunningham to help the Chevrolet Corvette effort at Le Mans in 1960 and later worked to develop traffic safety devices including the sand-filled ''"Fitch barrels"''. Less than three months later, Lance Macklin decided to retire after being involved in a twin fatality accident during the [[1955 RAC Tourist Trophy]] race at [[Dundrod Circuit]]. Juan Manuel Fangio never raced at Le Mans again.
 
Although Hawthorn was relieved to have gotten his first Le Mans victory, he was devastated by the tragedy.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptx Deadliest Crash:the Le Mans 1955 Disaster (Programme Website)], [[BBC Four]] documentary, broadcast 16 May 2010.</ref> 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".<ref name="Cannell 2011, p.76">Cannell 2011, p.76</ref>

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.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.218"/>

A few days after the race, a full ban on motor racing events was put into effect by the French government, pending the creation of new rules to ensure the safety of the sport. This complete ban was lifted on September 14, 1955. At this time, the Ministry of the Interior released new regulations for racing events, and codified the approval process that future racing events would need to follow.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40254005/the_guardian/|title=New French Rules for Motor Racing|date=1955-09-15|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-08|agency=British United Press|pages=14|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40254032/the_guardian/|title=Le Mans Grand Prix to Continue|date=1955-09-15|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-08|agency=Reuters|pages=14|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.250">Spurring 2011, p.250</ref><ref name="Laban 2001, p.118">Laban 2001, p.118</ref> 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]].

==Official results==
Results taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest|ACO]].<ref name="Spurring 2011, p.2">Spurring 2011, p.2</ref> Class Winners are in bold text.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos
! Class
! No
! Team
! Drivers
! Chassis
! Engine
! Laps
|-
! 1
| '''S<br />5.0'''
| 6
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Mike Hawthorn]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ivor Bueb]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 307
|-
! 2
| '''S<br />3.0'''
| 23
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda Ltd
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Peter Collins (racing driver)|Peter Collins]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Paul Frère]]
| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
| [[Aston Martin]] 2.9L S6
| 302
|-
! 3
| S<br />5.0
| 10
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ecurie Francorchamps]]
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jacques Swaters]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Johnny Claes]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 296
|-
! 4
| '''S<br />1.5'''
| 37
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Helmut Polensky]]<br />{{flagicon|FRG}} [[Richard von Frankenberg]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| [[Porsche]] 1498cc F4
| 284
|-
! 5
| S<br />1.5
| 66<br />''Reserve''
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ecurie Nationale Belge|Ecurie Belge]] /<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Gustave Olivier
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Wolfgang Seidel]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Olivier Gendebien]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| [[Porsche]] 1498cc F4
| 276
|-
! 6
| S<br />1.5
| 62
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Helm Glöckler|Helmut 'Helm' Glöckler]]<br />{{flagicon|GTM}}/{{flagicon|CZE}} Jaroslav Juhan
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| [[Porsche]] 1498cc F4
| 273
|-
! 7
| '''S<br />2.0'''
| 34
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Peter Wilson<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Mayers
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] 1979cc S6
| 271
|-
! 8
| S<br />2.0
| 33
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Mike Keen<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Tommy Line
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] 1979cc S6
| 270
|-
! 9
| S<br />2.0
| 32
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Tommy Wisdom]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jack Fairman]]
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] 1979cc S6
| 268
|-
! 10
| S<br />2.0
| 35
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Frazer Nash|Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marcel Becquart<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Richard ‘Dickie’ Stoop
| [[Frazer Nash]] Sebring
| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] 1971cc S6
| 260
|-
! 11
| S<br />1.5
| 40
| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Edgar Fronteras<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Giulio Cabianca]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} Giuseppe Scorbati
| [[O.S.C.A.]] MT-4
| [[O.S.C.A.]] 1491cc S4
| 256
|-
! 12
| S<br />1.5
| 41
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[MG Cars|MG Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ken Miles]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} John Lockett
| [[MG Cars|MG]] EX.182
| [[MG Cars|MG]] 1489cc S4
| 249
|-
! 13
| '''S<br />1.1'''
| 49
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Auguste Veuillet]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Zora Arkus-Duntov]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| [[Porsche]] 1097cc S4
| 245
|-
! 14
| S<br />2.0
| 28
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Triumph Motor Company|Standard Triumph Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ninian Sanderson]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Bob Dickson
| [[Triumph TR2]]
| [[Triumph Motor Company|Triumph]] 1991cc S4
| 242
|-
! 15
| S<br />2.0
| 29
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Triumph Motor Company|Standard Triumph Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ken Richardson (racing driver)|Ken Richardson]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Bert Hadley
| [[Triumph TR2]]
| [[Triumph Motor Company|Triumph]] 1991cc S4
| 242
|-
! 16
| '''S<br />750'''
| 63
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Cornet<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Mougin
| [[DB (car)|DB]] HBR-MC
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 236
|-
! 17
| S<br />1.5
| 64
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[MG Cars|MG Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ted Lund<br />{{flagicon|CHE}} Hans Waeffler
| [[MG Cars|MG]] EX.182
| [[MG Cars|MG]] 1489cc S4
| 234
|-
! 18
| S<br />1.5
| 65
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gustave Olivier<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gonzague Olivier]]<br />{{flagicon|FRG}} Josef Jeser
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| [[Porsche]] 1498cc F4
| 234
|-
! N/C *
| S<br />2.0
| 68<br />''Reserve''
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Triumph Motor Company|Standard Triumph Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Leslie Brooke (racing driver)|Leslie Brooke]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Mortimer Morris-Goodall
| [[Triumph TR2]]
| [[Triumph Motor Company|Triumph]] 1991cc S4
| 214
|-
! 19
| S<br />750
| 59
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Héry<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Trouis
| [[DB (car)|DB]] HBR Spyder
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 209
|-
! N/C *
| S<br />1.1
| 47
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper Car Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} John Brown <br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Edgar Wadsworth
| [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] T39
| [[Coventry Climax|Coventry Climax 1098cc S4]]
| 207
|}
*<small>'''Note *''': Not Classified because of Insufficient distance, as car failed to cover 70% of its class-winner's distance.</small>

==Did not finish==

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos
! Class
! No
! Team
! Drivers
! Chassis
! Engine
! Laps
! Reason
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 16
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Maserati|Officine Alfieri Maserati]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Luigi Musso]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Gino Valenzano|Luigi "Gino" Valenzano]]
| [[Maserati 300S]]
| [[Maserati]] 3.0L S6
| 239
| Gearbox (20hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 22
| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Briggs Cunningham]]
| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Briggs Cunningham]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Sherwood Johnston]]
| [[Briggs Cunningham|Cunningham C6-R]]
| [[Offenhauser]] 2.9L S4
| 196
| Piston (19hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 7
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Tony Rolt]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Duncan Hamilton (racing driver)|Duncan Hamilton]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 186
| Gearbox (16hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />2.0
| 30
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gordini|Automobiles Gordini]]
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Hermano da Silva Ramos]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jacques Pollet]]
| [[Gordini]] T15S
| [[Gordini]] 1987cc S8
| 145
| Holed radiator (14hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 52
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Monopole (company)|Société Monopole]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Hémard<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Flahault
| Monopole X86
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 145
| Accident (23hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 60
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Automobili Stanguellini]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Philippe Faure<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Duval
| [[Automobili Stanguellini|Stanguellini]] S750 Bialbero
| [[Automobili Stanguellini#The Stanguellini 750cc Racing Engine|Stanguellini]] 740cc S4
| 136
| Ignition (17hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 19
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Juan Manuel Fangio]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Stirling Moss]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz W196|Mercedes-Benz 3.0L S8]]
| 134
| Withdrawn (10hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 21
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Karl Kling]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[André Simon (racing driver)|André Simon]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz W196|Mercedes-Benz 3.0L S8]]
| 130
| Withdrawn (10hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.1
| 51
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Panhard|Automobiles Panhard]]<br /> et Levassor
| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Cotton<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} André Beaulieux
| [[Panhard]] VM-5
| [[Panhard]] 850cc F2
| 108
| Gearbox (13hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 5
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Maurice Trintignant]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Harry Schell]]
| [[Ferrari 735 LM]]
| [[Ferrari]] 4.4L S6
| 107
| Clutch (10hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 8
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Don Beauman]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Norman Dewis]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 106
| Accident (11hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 24
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda Ltd
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Peter Walker (racing driver)|Peter Walker]]
| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
| [[Aston Martin]] 2.9L S6
| 105
| Engine (10hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 12
| {{flagicon|FRA}} ''"Heldé"''
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Pierre Louis-Dreyfus|''"Heldé"'' (Pierre Louis-Dreyfus)]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean Lucas (racing driver)|Jean Lucas]]
| [[Ferrari Monza|Ferrari 750 Monza]]
| [[Ferrari]] 3.0L S4
| 104
| Distributor (10hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 58
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Armagnac<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Gérard Laureau
| [[DB (car)|DB]] HBR-MC
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 101
| Wheel (23hr)
|-
! DSQ
| S<br />1.1
| 48
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Lotus Cars|Lotus Engineering]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Colin Chapman]]<br />{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ron Flockhart (racing driver)|Ron Flockhart]]
| [[Lotus Mark IX]]
| [[Coventry Climax#FW|Coventry Climax]] 1098cc S4
| 99
| reversed on track (12hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />2.0
| 31
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Maserati|Officine Alfieri Maserati]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} Carlo Tomasi<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} Francesco Giardini
| [[Maserati 200S]]
| [[Maserati]] 1986cc S4
| 96
| Distributor (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.1
| 50
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Panhard|Automobiles Panhard]]<br /> et Levassor
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Chancel<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Chancel
| [[Panhard]] VM-5
| [[Panhard]] 850cc F2
| 94
| Fuel system (11hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 1
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda Ltd
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Reg Parnell]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Dennis Poore]]
| [[Lagonda]] DP-166
| [[Lagonda]] 4.5L V12
| 93
| Out of fuel (8hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 25
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda Ltd
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Tony Brooks (racing driver)|Tony Brooks]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Riseley-Pritchard]]
| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
| [[Aston Martin]] 2.9L S6
| 83
| Battery (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 27
| {{flagicon|FRA}} J.-P. Colas<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Paul Colas<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Dewez
| [[Salmson]] 2300S Cabriolet
| [[Salmson]] 2.3L L4
| 82
| Oil leak (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 3
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Umberto Maglioli]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Phil Hill]]
| [[Ferrari 735 LM]]
| [[Ferrari]] 4.4L S6
| 76
| Clutch (7hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.5
| 38
| {{flagicon|CHE}} W. Ringgenberg<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|CHE}} Walter Ringgenberg<br />{{flagicon|CHE}} Hans-Jörg Gilomen
| [[Porsche 550]]/4
| [[Porsche]] 1498cc F4
| 65
| Engine (8hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.5
| 43
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Connaught Engineering]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Kenneth McAlpine]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Eric Thompson (racing driver)|Eric Thompson]]
| [[Connaught Engineering|Connaught]] AL/SR
| [[Lea-Francis]] 1484cc S4
| 60
| Engine (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 4
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Eugenio Castellotti]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} Paolo Marzotto
| [[Ferrari 735 LM]]
| [[Ferrari]] 4.4L S6
| 52
| Engine (5hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />2.0
| 69
| {{flagicon|FRA}} A. Constantin<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Savoye<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Poch
| Constantin 203C Spyder
| [[Peugeot]] 1425cc S4<br />  Supercharged
| 52
| Gearbox (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.1
| 46
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Kieft Cars|Kieft Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Alan Rippon<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Ray Merrick
| [[Kieft Cars|Kieft]] Sport
| [[Coventry Climax#FW|Coventry Climax]] 1098cc S4
| 47
| Oil leak (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 57
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[René Bonnet]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Claude Storez
| [[DB (car)|D.B. HBR]]
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 44
| Distributor (9hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 9
| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Briggs Cunningham]]
| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Phil Walters]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} William "Bill" Spear
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 43
| Engine (Valve) (7hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />5.0
| 11
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper Car Co]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Peter Whitehead (racing driver)|Peter Whitehead]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Graham Whitehead]]
| [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] T38
| [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]] 3.4L S6
| 38
| Oil leak (4hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 20
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} ''"[[Pierre Levegh]]"'' (Pierre Bouillin)<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[John Fitch (driver)|John Fitch]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR]]
| [[Mercedes-Benz W196|Mercedes-Benz]] 3.0L L8
| 34
| [[1955 Le Mans disaster|Fatal accident]] (3hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />2.0
| 36
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Frazer Nash|Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.]]
|{{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} [[Cecil Vard]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Dick Odlum
| [[Frazer Nash]] Sebring
| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] 1971cc S6
| 33
| Engine (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 53
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Société Monopole
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Francis Navarro<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean de Montrémy]]
| Monopole Sport X88
| [[Panhard]] 745cc F2
| 30
| Oil leak (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 26
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Lance Macklin]]<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Lance Macklin]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Les Leston]]
| [[Austin-Healey 100|Austin-Healey 100 S]]
| [[British Motor Corporation|BMC A90]] 2.7L S4
| 28
| Accident damage (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.5
| 42
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[MG Cars|MG Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Dick Jacobs<br />{{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} Joe Flynn
| [[MG Cars|MG]] EX.182
| [[MG Cars|MG]] 1489cc S4
| 27
| Accident (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 56
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Automobiles VP
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Yves Giraud-Cabantous]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Yves Lesur
| VP 166R
| [[Renault]] 747cc S4
| 26
| Engine (8hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 15
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Maserati|Officine Alfieri Maserati]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Roberto Mieres]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Cesare Perdisa]]
| [[Maserati 300S]]
| [[Maserati]] 3.0L S6
| 24
| Gearbox (6hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />3.0
| 14
| {{flagicon|FRA}} ''"Mike Sparken"''<br />''(private entrant)''
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Mike Sparken|''"Mike Sparken"'' (Michel Pobejersky)]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Masten Gregory]]
| [[Ferrari Monza|Ferrari 750 Monza]]
| [[Ferrari]] 3.0L S4
| 23
| Engine (piston) (3hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />750
| 61
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Nardi (carmaker)|Ufficine Nardi]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} ''Dr.'' Mario Damonte<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Crovetto
| [[Nardi (carmaker)|Nardi ‘Damolnar’ Bisiluro]]
| [[Giannini Automobili|Giannini]] 735cc S4
| 5
| Accident (1hr)
|-
! DNF
| S<br />1.5
| 39
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Kieft Cars|Kieft Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Berwyn Baxter<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} John Deeley
| [[Kieft Cars|Kieft Sport]]
| [[Turner Sports Cars|Turner]] 1493cc S4
| 4
| Overheating (1hr)
|}

==Did not start==

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos
! Class
! No
! Team
! Drivers
! Chassis
! Engine
! Reason
|-
! DNS
| S<br />5.0
| 2
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Ecurie Rosier]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Louis Rosier]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Georges Grignard]]
| [[Talbot-Lago]] T26 GS Spyder
| Talbot 4.5L S6
| Engine
|-
! DNS
| S<br />3.0
| 17
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gordini|Automobiles Gordini]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Robert Manzon]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Élie Bayol]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean Behra]]
| [[Gordini]] T24S
| Gordini 3.0L S8
| Accident in practice
|-
! DNS
| S<br />1.1
| 45
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Arnott (automobile)|Arnott Racing Cars]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jim Russell (racing driver)|Jim Russell]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Peter Taylor
| [[Arnott (automobile)|Arnott Sports]]
| [[Coventry Climax#FW|Coventry Climax]] 1098cc S4
| Accident in practice
|-
! DNS
| S<br />750
| 54
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Moretti Motor Company|Moretti Automobili]]
| {{flagicon|VEN}} Lino Fayen<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Herman Rogenry
| [[Moretti Motor Company|Moretti]] 750S
| Moretti 750cc S4
| Took grid too late
|-
! DNS
| S<br />750
| 55
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Moretti Motor Company|Moretti Automobili]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} Giorgio Ubezzi<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Mesnest Bellanger
| [[Moretti Motor Company|Moretti]] 750S
| Moretti 750cc S4
| Took grid too late
|-
! Reserve
| S<br />750
| 70
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Société Pierre Ferry
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Blaché<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Pons
| Ferry Sports F750
| [[Renault]] 747cc S4
| 
|-
! Reserve
| S<br />750
| 72
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Automobiles VP
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Marie Dumazer<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} André Héchard <br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Jérôme Pourond
| VP 155R
| [[Renault]] 747cc S4
| 
|-
! Reserve
| S<br />750
| 75
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Ecurie Rosier]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Louis Rosier]]<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Estager
| [[Renault 4CV|Renault 4CV/1068 Spyder]]
| [[Renault]] 747cc S4
| 
|-
|}

==Index of performance==
{{clarify|date=August 2019}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos
! Class
! No
! Team
! Drivers
! Chassis
! Score
|-
! 1
| '''S<br />1.5'''
| 37
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Helmut Polensky]]<br />{{flagicon|FRG}} [[Richard von Frankenberg]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| 1.241
|-
! 2
| '''S<br />5.0'''
| 6
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar Cars Ltd.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Mike Hawthorn]]<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ivor Bueb]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| 1.232
|-
! 3
| '''S<br />3.0'''
| 23
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda Ltd
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Peter Collins (racing driver)|Peter Collins]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Paul Frère]]
| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
| 1.228
|-
! 4
| S<br />1.5
| 66<br />''Reserve''
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ecurie Nationale Belge|Ecurie Belge]] /<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Gustave Olivier
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Wolfgang Seidel]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Olivier Gendebien]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| 1.204
|-
! 5
| S<br />1.5
| 62
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Helm Glöckler|Helmut Glöckler]]<br />{{flagicon|GTM}}/{{flagicon|CZE}} Jaroslav Juhan
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| 1.193
|-
! 6
| S<br />5.0
| 10
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ecurie Francorchamps]]
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jacques Swaters]]<br />{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Johnny Claes]]
| [[Jaguar D-Type]]
| 1.186
|-
! 7
| '''S<br />750'''
| 63
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Cornet<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Mougin
| [[DB (car)|DB]] HBR-MC
| 1.179
|-
! 8
| '''S<br />2.0'''
| 34
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Peter Wilson<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Mayers
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| 1.139
|-
! 9
| S<br />2.0
| 33
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Mike Keen<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Tommy Line
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| 1.131
|-
! 10
| '''S<br />1.1'''
| 49
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Auguste Veuillet]]<br />{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[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.<ref name="Clarke 1997, p.88">Clarke 1997, p.88</ref>

==21st Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup (1954/1955)==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos
! Class
! No
! Team
! Drivers
! Chassis
! Score
|-
! 1
| '''S<br />1.5'''
| 37
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Helmut Polensky]]<br />{{flagicon|FRG}} [[Richard von Frankenberg]]
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| 1.241
|-
! 2
| S<br />1.5
| 62
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche|Porsche KG]]
| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Helm Glöckler|Helmut Glöckler]]<br />{{flagicon|GTM}}/{{flagicon|CZE}} Jaroslav Juhan
| [[Porsche 550]] RS Spyder
| 1.193
|-
! 3
| S<br />2.0
| 33
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol Aeroplane Co.]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Mike Keen<br />{{flagicon|GBR}} Tommy Line
| [[Bristol 450|Bristol 450C]]
| 1.131
|-
|}

==Statistics==

Taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest|ACO]]

* Fastest lap in practice&nbsp;–  Castelloti, #4 Ferrari 735 LM – 4m 14.0s; 191.14&nbsp;kp/h (118.77&nbsp;mph)
* Fastest lap&nbsp;– Hawthorn, #6 Jaguar D-Type – 4m 06.6s; 196.96&nbsp;kp/h (122.39&nbsp;mph)
* Fastest car in speedtrap&nbsp;–  Fangio, #19 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR – 292.21&nbsp;kp/h (181.57&nbsp;mph)
* Distance&nbsp;– 4135.38&nbsp; km (2569.73&nbsp;miles)
* Winner's average speed&nbsp;– 172.31&nbsp;km/h (107.07&nbsp;mph)
* Attendance&nbsp;–  about 400,000

==World Championship standings after the race==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos
! Championship
! Points
|-
| 1
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
|align=right| 18
|-
| 2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]]
|align=right| 16
|-
| 3
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Maserati]]
|align=right| 11
|-
| 4
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Daimler-Benz|Mercedes-Benz]]
|align=right| 8
|-
| rowspan="2"| 5=
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]]
|align=right| 6
|-
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Porsche]]
|align=right| 6
|-
| 6
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gordini]]
|align=right| 2
|-
| 7
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Austin-Healey]]
|align=right| 1
|-
|}

<small>Championship points were awarded for the first six places in each race in the order of 8-6-4-3-2-1. Manufacturers were only awarded points for their highest finishing car, with no points awarded for positions filled by additional cars.</small>

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Spurring, Quentin (2011)    Le Mans 1949-59    Sherborne, Dorset: Evro Publishing  {{ISBN|978-1-84425-537-5}}
* Anderson, Gary G. (2000)   Austin-Healey 100, 100–6, 3000 Restoration Guide    MotorBooks International    {{ISBN|978-1-61060-814-5}}
* Cannell, Michael (2011)    The Limit    London: Atlantic Books  {{ISBN|978-184887-224-0}}
* Clarke, R.M. - editor (1997)    Le Mans 'The Jaguar Years 1949-1957'    Cobham, Surrey: Brooklands Books  {{ISBN|1-85520-357X}}
* Clausager, Anders (1982)    Le Mans    London: Arthur Barker Ltd  {{ISBN|0-213-16846-4}}
* Foster, Frank (2013)    F1: A History of Formula One Racing    BookCaps Study Guides  {{ISBN|978-1-62107-573-8}}
* Hill, Phil (2004)    Ferrari, a Champion's view    Deerfield: Dalton Watson   {{ISBN|978-1854432124}}
* Laban, Brian (2001)    Le Mans 24 Hours    London: Virgin Books   {{ISBN|1-85227-971-0}}
* Moity, Christian (1974)    The Le Mans 24 Hour Race 1949-1973    Radnor, Pennsylvania: [[Chilton Book Co]]  {{ISBN|0-8019-6290-0}}
* Pomeroy, L. & Walkerley, R. - editors (1956)    The Motor Year Book 1956    Bath: The Pitman Press
* Whitaker, Sigur E. (2014)   Tony Hulman: The Man Who Saved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway    McFarland   {{ISBN|978-0-7864-7882-8}}

==External links==
* [http://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Le_Mans-1955-06-12.html  Racing Sports Cars website]&nbsp;– Le Mans 24 Hours 1955 entries, results, technical detail. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
* [http://www.lemans-history.com/provas.php?ano=1955  Le Mans History website]&nbsp;– Le Mans History, hour-by-hour (incl. pictures, YouTube links). Retrieved 10 December 2016.
* [http://www.formula2.net/1955.htm  Formula 2 website]&nbsp;–  Le Mans results & reserve entries. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
* [http://www.wsrp.cz/wsc1955.html#4  World Sportscar Championship website]&nbsp;– Le Mans results & reserve entries. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232029/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/wsc/1955/55lemans.html  Team Dan website]&nbsp;–  Le Mans results & reserve entries. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070216192133/http://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/lemans.php Le Mans 1955 from The Mike Hawthorn Tribute Site]&nbsp;– Extensive 1955 Le Mans coverage&nbsp;– reports, analysis, photos/video of race & crash. Retrieved 10 December 2016
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3iAkmwyEMA#t=17.583721 The Deadliest Crash]&nbsp;–  George Pollen's 2009 1hr documentary analysing the race and the accident, interviewing drivers and witnesses. Retrieved 10 December 2016
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222214104/http://www.spike.com/video-clips/ds4l4v/1955-le-mans-disaster  Video of accident and aftermath]. Retrieved 10 December 2016
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUcHl-5Ke_k  YouTube]&nbsp;–  ‘British Pathé’ colour film (no sound) of the race  (8mins). Retrieved 10 December 2016

{{Sportscar Race Report
| Year_of_race = 1955
| Sportscar_Series = World Sportscar Championship
| Previous_race_in_season =[[1955 Mille Miglia|Mille Miglia]]
| Next_race_in_season = [[1955 RAC Tourist Trophy|RAC Tourist Trophy]]
}}

{{24 Hours of Le Mans}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1955 24 Hours Of Le Mans}}
[[Category:1955 World Sportscar Championship season|Le Mans]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans races]]
[[Category:1955 in French motorsport]]
[[Category:June 1955 sports events in Europe]]
{{Навигационная таблица/Портал/Английская Википедия}}
[[Категория:Английская Википедия]]
[[Категория:Википедия]]
[[Категория:Статья из Википедии]]
[[Категория:Статья из Английской Википедии]]