How many drivers died at Le Mans?

Twenty-two drivers have died in accidents connected to the 24 Hours of Le Mans since the race began in 1923. That figure covers fatalities during the race itself as well as official practice and qualifying sessions. The most recent driver to lose his life at the event was Allan Simonsen in 2013. While the 1955 disaster is often cited for its scale—killing 83 spectators in addition to driver Pierre Levegh—the driver fatality count for the 24 Hours stands at 22, a number that has not changed through the 2024 running.

What the number includes

The tally of 22 refers specifically to competitors who died while participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans—during the race or its official practice and qualifying sessions—on the Circuit de la Sarthe. It does not include non-24H events at the circuit, nor broader motorsport fatalities elsewhere.

Below are key points that define the scope of this count.

• Included: Driver deaths during the 24-hour race proper.
• Included: Fatalities in official practice and qualifying associated with the event.
• Counted within the 22: Pierre Levegh (1955), whose accident also led to the catastrophic spectator toll.
• Not included: Fatalities at other events on the Circuit de la Sarthe or unrelated test activities.

These boundaries help explain why totals may differ in various sources; the figure of 22 is the widely cited count for the 24 Hours event itself and has remained unchanged since 2013.

Notable fatal incidents involving drivers

The following selection highlights some of the most significant driver fatalities at Le Mans, illustrating the event’s evolving safety challenges across eras. This is not an exhaustive roll call, but it reflects key moments often referenced in historical accounts.

• 1925 — Marius Mestivier: Crashed and was fatally injured after a tire issue; one of the first driver deaths at the event.
• 1952 — Tom Cole Jr.: Died in a high-speed crash at Maison Blanche, underscoring the dangers of the pre-chicane circuit layout.
• 1955 — Pierre Levegh: Perished in the crash that triggered the Le Mans disaster; 83 spectators were also killed.
• 1969 — John Woolfe: Died on the opening lap after a crash on the Mulsanne Straight during the final year of the “Le Mans start.”
• 1972 — Jo Bonnier: Killed in a multi-car accident in the forest section; a pivotal moment in safety debates of the era.
• 1981 — Jean-Louis Lafosse: Died following a collision on the Hunaudières (Mulsanne) Straight.
• 1986 — Jo Gartner: Fatally crashed at high speed on the Mulsanne, before the straight was broken up by chicanes (added in 1990).
• 1997 — Sébastien Enjolras: Died during pre-qualifying when his prototype became airborne near the Dunlop Curves.
• 2013 — Allan Simonsen: Succumbed to injuries after a crash at Tertre Rouge early in the race; the most recent driver fatality at Le Mans.

These cases span nearly nine decades and reflect both the circuit’s historic hazards and the phases of safety reform that followed major incidents.

The 1955 disaster and spectator fatalities

The 1955 Le Mans disaster remains the deadliest accident in motorsport history. Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes 300 SLR was launched into the crowd along the pit straight, killing 83 spectators and injuring many more; Levegh himself also died in the crash. The tragedy reshaped global attitudes to track safety, crowd control, and circuit design, prompting significant reforms in the years that followed. While the disaster is part of the driver fatality count (Levegh), the vast majority of the deaths that day were spectators.

Safety evolution and recent years

Since the late 1980s and especially after the 2013 fatality, organizers (the ACO) and governing bodies have implemented extensive safety improvements. These include reconfigurations to high-speed sections (such as adding Mulsanne chicanes in 1990), larger run-off areas and barrier upgrades at zones like Tertre Rouge, stricter car safety standards (survival cells, energy absorption, rigorous crash testing), HANS device mandates, advanced medical response, and race control tools such as local “slow zones” introduced in 2014 to neutralize incidents without full safety-car procedures. From 2014 through the 2024 editions, no driver deaths have occurred at the 24 Hours, underscoring the effect of sustained safety measures even as lap speeds and traffic complexity remain high.

Why some sources list different numbers

Occasional discrepancies arise from differences in scope. Some compilations broaden the criteria to include test days held outside the official race week or deaths during other events at the Circuit de la Sarthe. When strictly counting drivers killed during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and its official practice or qualifying sessions, the accepted total is 22, with Allan Simonsen (2013) the most recent.

Summary

In total, 22 drivers have died in connection with the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1923, a number unchanged through 2024. The deadliest single incident was the 1955 disaster, which killed driver Pierre Levegh and 83 spectators. A sustained push for safety—circuit changes, stronger car standards, improved procedures—has dramatically reduced risk in modern times, with no driver fatalities at the event since 2013.

How many people died in the 1957 Ferrari crash?

Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy. In 1957, 11 people died in a car crash in the Italian street circuit Mille Miglia. Of course, the car manufacturer Enzo Ferrari was investigated for homicide by negligence.

What was the biggest accident in Le Mans?

The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a major crash that occurred on 11 June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing spectators and French driver Pierre Levegh.

How many drivers have been killed at Le Mans?

There have been 22 driver fatalities at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1925, with most deaths occurring on the Mulsanne Straight. The deadliest incident in the event’s history was the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which killed 83 spectators and driver Pierre Levegh.
 
Key details about Le Mans driver fatalities:

• Total deaths: 22 drivers have died while competing at Le Mans. 
• Cause of death: More than half of these fatalities occurred on the notorious Mulsanne Straight due to crashes. 
• Timeline of deaths:
  • 1920s: 2 deaths 
  • 1930s: 2 deaths 
  • 1940s: 1 death 
  • 1950s: 5 deaths 
  • 1960s: 6 deaths 
  • 1970s: 2 deaths 
  • 1980s: 2 deaths 
  • 1990s: 1 death 
  • 2000s: 0 deaths 
  • 2010s: 1 death 
• First and last recorded deaths: André Guilbert was the first to die in 1925, and Allan Simonsen was the most recent in 2013. 
• Note on spectator deaths: The 1955 disaster, the deadliest accident in motorsport history, involved 84 fatalities, including Levegh and over 80 spectators. This figure is not included in the 22 driver fatalities mentioned above. 

Who was the last fatal death in f1?

The last fatal accident in a Formula 1 World Championship race was Jules Bianchi’s collision with a recovery vehicle at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, resulting in serious injuries that led to his death in July 2015. Bianchi’s tragic accident prompted significant safety improvements in motorsport, including the introduction of the Halo cockpit protection device.
 
Details of the incident

• Date: October 5, 2014 
• Event: 2014 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit 
• Cause: Bianchi’s car aquaplaned in heavy rain, veering off track and colliding with a recovery crane that was removing another car that had crashed. 
• Injuries: He sustained a severe diffuse axonal injury and was in a medically induced coma before his death nine months later. 

Legacy and safety improvements

• Halo device: The FIA mandated the Halo device for use in all Formula 1 and open-wheel championships from 2018, a direct result of Bianchi’s accident. 
• Virtual Safety Car: Other measures, like the virtual safety car system, were also introduced to enhance safety during races. 
• Retired Car Number: In honor of Bianchi, the number 17 was retired from Formula 1.