The Lemon Fool

The 1955 Le Mans 24 hour race. Also, the deadliest motor racing accident. A roll call of some of the greats, Fangio, Moss, Hawthorn et al. Described as WW2 on a race track, David v Goliath with Goliath as the might of the huge Mercedes company and David as 17 blokes in a warehouse (Jaguar). The Mercedes was described as having been designed by a genius and constructed with magnesium alloy bodywork. It's Achilles' heel was its drum brakes which were no match for the disks on the Jaguar. A fine video of some of the race and analysis by some who were there. My father was a spectator:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NewxbxgRyks

RC

I've just been watching the start of today's event, two Toyotas leading! Can't be Auris can they? I remember watching an interview of Norman Dewis a year or two ago, he mentioned the advantage Jaguars had with their brakes. All the advantage the Benzes built up on the straights, they lost on the corners.

Dreadful accident of course, 55 dead, was it? There was also a good documentary on the crash.

80-84 dead, approx 120 Injured
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1955_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans