He was 34, and this was his seventh time participating in the race. Simonsen, a leading gt driver, had qualified on pole. Le mans engineer ken miles and his role in 1966 race. Danish driver allan simonsen has died after a horror crash at the wheel of an aston martin at the le mans 24 hour endurance race on saturday, organisers reported. How carsand driverssurvive the brutal 24 hours of le mans. The crash occurred after boullins car hit another car at 125 mph and cartwheeled into the stands, hitting dozens of people. The race still had more than 23 12 hours to go, but there was.
Sure, the movie delivers on its long, realistic, mesmerizing race scenes that capture how grueling the 24 hours of le mans is, the worlds. He holds the record for the most wins at the 24 hours of le mans with nine, six of which were consecutive from 2000 to 2005. The worst crash in le mans history occurred in 1955 when pierre leveghs mercedes flew into the crowd, killing more than. Hallers death today was the first driver casualty at le mans since 1972. Footage of the 1955 le mans disaster that killed french driver pierre bouillin and 83 spectators. The last driver fatality in the 24hour race itself was jo gartner in 1986. Miles was known for his exceptional feel and understanding of a car in addition to his skill as a driver.
The series using the driver categorisation, like the fia world endurance championship wec of which the 24 hours of le mans is a part, must share the 10 fastest laps of each driver, as well as the race results and qualifying sessions of each race. A memorial to every single driver to have died in the lemans 24h. In 2001, he was inducted into the motorsports hall of fame of america. Aston martin driver allan simonsen killed in le mans crash. Audi wins 24 hours of le mans marred by drivers death.
Aston martin driver allan simonsen has died at le mans. Allan simonsens death after a spinout cast a pall over the 24 hours of le mans. The french police files have never been opened, and one long time le mans racing chief later estimated the death toll at. A major crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and french driver pierre bouillin who raced under the name pierre levegh and injuring nearly 180 more. Le mans, france danish driver allan simonsen died following a crash at the 24 hours of le mans on saturday in the first driver fatality at the highspeed endurance event since 1997.
All the teams at le mans field three drivers per car which, evenly spread out, is eight hours per driver of extreme gforces and attention. Still, even in death, ken miles was an unsung racing hero. A resident of strasbourg, haller was not well known elsewhere, even in. Its hard to say just how many people died in the crash. Danish racing driver allan simonsen was killed at the 81st 24 hours of le mans today, after his no. Earlier today, danish driver and frequent 24 hours of le mans events competitor allan simonsen died after an accident during an early lap in the big race. Ford trounced the frontrunner ferrari as all three ford cars crossed the finish line in a dead heat. Gurney died earlier in the day after complications from pneumonia. Danish driver allan simonsen died following a crash at the 24 hours of le mans on saturday in the first driver fatality at the highspeed endurance event since 1997. Le mans was the site of the worst disaster in motorsports in 1955, when more than 80 spectators and driver pierre levegh died after leveghs mercedes went out of control, flew into the air and.
Two months later, he was killed test driving a ford jcar at a california raceway. Audi has won the 24 hours of le mans for the fourth straight year in an endurance race overshadowed by the death of danish driver allan simonsen at the start. The legendary fourtime indianapolis 500winning driver a. Allan simonsen racing driver allan simonsen 5 july 1978 22 june 20 was a danish racing driver, born in odense. And, in the end, thats how ken miles, whos played by christian bale, does end up in that driver s seat in the sky. Simonsens partner carina, the mother to their daughter born last year, made sure of that. Simonsens death is the first driver fatality at le mans since frenchman sebastien enjolras was killed during prequalifying in 1997 and the. This is a list of 24 hours of le mans fatal accidents, which consists of all the drivers who have died during a 24 hours of le mans weekend, or in prerace testing or practice sessions in preparation of the event. The car broke into pieces and burst into flames upon impact. There were two things that every good race driver in the world knew about the 24 hour grand prix of endurance at le mans. The steel roll cage in the mk iv mandated as a direct result of miless death probably saved the life of mario andretti, who crashed violently during the 1967 24 hours of le mans but escaped. Danish racing driver allan simonsen has died from injuries sustained in a tragic crash that took place during the first hour of racing today in the 24 hours of le mans.
Allan simonsen, race car driver, dead after 24 hours of le. Ken miles was born on friday, november 1, 1918 age 47 years. Footage of the 1955 le mans disaster that killed french. Profile for racing driver ken miles from united states. Danish driver allan simonsen has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during todays le mans 24 hours, race organisers automobile club. Danish driver simonsen killed in le mans endurance race. Willy mairesses career was dogged by accidents and illfortune and his life ended in despair. Le mans death reminder of dangerous sport say drivers.
Ken miles, the driver behind fords victory over ferrari. This installment contains memories shared by carroll. Le mans is in mourning today for the 77 people killed when the blazing wreckage of a mercedes sports car crashed through the. Allan simonsens death after a spinout cast a pall over the 24. Danish driver allan simonsen died following a crash at the 24 hours of le mans on saturday in the first driver fatality at the highspeed endurance. Ford v ferrari 15 november, this series revisits the 34th running of the race staged on the big screen by james mangold. Danish driver allan simonsen has died after crashing at the le mans 24 hours in france on saturday, the first fatality during the famous race for 27 years. Danish driver allan simonsen died in a highspeed crash at the famous le mans 24 hour endurance race, organizers said saturday. The fame for ken miles after fords victory over ferrari at le mans 1966 was short lived. Danish driver simonsen killed in le mans endurance race bbc. Bruce leslie mclaren 30 august 1937 2 june 1970 was a new zealand racecar designer. In 1997, he won the race with the joest racing team, driving a tom walkinshaw racingdesigned and porschepowered wsc95, after being a late inclusion in the team following davy. Pierre leveghs mercedes crashed and blew up at 125mph. Simonsens death is the first driver fatality at le mans since frenchman sebastien enjolras was killed during prequalifying in 1997 and the first during the race since austrian jo gartner died in.
Le mans motor racing disaster 1955 british pathe youtube. In 1966, mclaren and codriver chris amon won the prestigious 24 hour race at le mans in a ford gt40. Danish driver simonsen killed in high speed crash at le mans cnn. Foyt remembered his competitor and friend dan gurney on sunday night. Danish driver simonsen killed in high speed crash at le. Just how horrifying was the worst crash in motorsports, le. This sporting tragedy is the most catastrophic accident in motor racing history. But miles is also known for missing out on the le mans win in 1966. The true story of ken miles mysterious death that ford v.
Ken miles was a british racing engineer and driver who is known for his racing career in the us with the american motorsport teams. Danish driver allan simonsen has died following a crash at the 24 hours of le mans. On this day 77 people were killed in le mans in the worst motor racing accident of the era. The real life le mans 66 ended with a historic finish. To coincide with the opening of the exposition at the 24 hours museum from 21 october 2019 to 23 february 2020 dedicated to the 1966 24 hours of le mans and release of the film le mans 66 a.
Le mans is a legendary endurance race in france where teams of two drivers take turns racing sports cars for 24 hours, and mcqueen was signed up to drive his porsche 908. Because taylor is on a team with a gentleman driveressentially a semiprofessionalhell probably do closer to nine hours total, in stints that last 90 minutes to two hours. He died after a crash during the third lap of the 20 24 hours of le mans. Danish driver allan simonsen, 34, killed at le mans sport the. Tom kristensen born 7 july 1967 is a danish former racing driver. Ken miles was key in fords triumph at le mans in 1966, developing and racing the ford gt40, as depicted in the film le mans 66. Profile for racing driver willy mairesse from belgium. Driver death at le mans raises safety issue again edmunds. It does not include track marshals and spectators other race attendees, including the 1955 disaster which claimed the lives of 83 spectators. Danish driver allan simonsen, 34, killed at le mans. This is a list of 24 hours of le mans fatal accidents, which consists of all the drivers who have died during a 24 hours of le mans weekend, or in prerace testing. An investigation has been launched into the fatal accident suffered by allan simonsen at the 90th anniversary running of the le mans 24 hours.