1955 Le Mans was a catastrophic crash that occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor racing event at Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, Sarthe. Huge pieces of debris crashed into the crowd and killed Pierre Levegh, a French driver, and nearly 180 others. It was the most catastrophic accident in motorsport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to pull out of motor racing until 1989.The accident began with Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn pulled to the right-hand side of the track in the direction of Austin-Healey driver Lance Macklin and started braking for his pit stop. Macklin turned around in front of the slower Jaguar and into the path Levegh's Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR that was moving to the left. Levegh was rear-ended by Macklin at a high rate in a collision that pushed Macklin's car off the road and sending his own vehicle into the air. Levegh's vehicle jumped over a protective earthen berm at a speed of 200 km/h (125 mph) and caused at most two collisions within the spectator area, the last of which caused the car to break up and threw him into the track where he was instantly killed. Huge pieces of debris, comprising the Mercedes engine block, radiator, along with the front suspension, bonnet, and bonnet were thrown towards the crowd just near the grandstand. The rear of Levegh's car was thrown over the berm, and burst into flames.
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