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The following statement was initially issued by Jaguar Cars Ltd with regard to the Le Mans disaster:
"In view of the fact that all the circumstances surrounding the Le Mans disaster are in course of official investigation
by the French authorities, we would not have thought it incumbent upon any firm or individual to make any comments
which seek to fix responsibility or apportion blame for the tragic occurrence. Nevertheless, certain statements
have been quoted in the Press implicating one of our drivers and, in fairness to him, we have no option but
to make it known that, as a result of close questioning of the Jaguar pit personnel and others who witnessed
the occurrence, there is no evidence to establish that Hawthorn acted in any way contrary to accepted racing practice.
"In the course of our own enquiry, Hawthorn made the following statement:
"'After passing Levegh's Mercedes at Arnage, I passed the Austin-Healey between White House Corner and the Pits and,
having given the necessary hand signal, I braked and pulled into my pit in accordance with pit instructions given during the
course of the preceding lap. In my judgment, I allowed sufficient time for the driver of any following car to be aware of my intentions
and for him to take such action as might be required without danger to others.'
"In view of the foregoing statement and the evidence of Jaguar pit personnel who witnessed the occurrence, the Company
is of the opinion that any adverse criticism of Hawthorn's driving is without justification."
At a Press conference held by DaimlerBenz A.G. on June 15th 1955, Dr. Koenecke, Dr. E Nallinger and Herr Neubauer gave their views.
Dr. Koenecke stated that the late withdrawal of the two remaining cars was due to the risk of creating panic had the cars been withdrawn earlier.
In any case, Mercedes-Benz were satisfied that although one of their cars was involved, the concern could not be held responsible for the disaster.
Dr. Nallinger refuted all implications that spectators had suffered burns from explosions. The main havoc was caused by the
tremendous force of the impact, which produced such a sudden stoppage that the fore part of the car was projected among the crowd.
All Mercedes-Benz drivers were warned to pull over to the right in plenty of time when intending to call at their pits -
this was due to the narrowness of the road. He gave it as his opinion that Hawthorn's pit-stop caused a chain reaction which
forced the Austin-Healey to turn to the left, brake sharply and finally skid. This caused Levegh's Mercedes to collide with it,
and run up the embankment. Fangio agreed with this, and said that his car just brushed past the stationary Jaguar.
Neubauer suggested that in all future races, drivers should be forbidden to overtake at the start and finish, in the pits area
and in front of spectator grand stands. No-passing areas should be defined by painting white stripes across the road.
He maintained that in the very strictest interpretation of racing rules and regulations, no track or road today
conforms to the full requirements of car racing.
The road width everywhere should be not less than three tracks width and for the pit area an additional track making a minimum width
of 104 feet. In his opinion it was not correct to build for spectator protection walls of concrete, or, as at Le Mans, earthen banks.
Trenches would be much more effective, and if used at Le Mans, would have caused the car to dive into them, and it could not have reared
up and turned over.
Jaguar had decided not to comment further but felt obliged to do so after the press conference above held by Mercedes on June 15.
Two days later, Jaguar's Public Relations Officer, Bill Rankin, issued a statement. Wrote Rankin to a journalist:
"We have indisputable proof....that the Germans have turned on a high pressure propaganda campaign in an endeavour to establish three
things. First, that they could in no way be held responsible for the accident and that Jaguar could; second, that their
cars were superior; third, that they would have won anyway and that they had the race in their pockets when they retired."
Go back to Le Mans 1955 - Part 1
Go back to Le Mans 1955 - Part 2
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