Mike Hawthorn - 1956 Preview Lap at Le Mans

Many may have already seen this, but a Jaguar friend of mine sent me this link of Mike Hawthorn driving and narrating a preview lap at Le Mans in a D-type Jag. The quality is excellent and it is very interesting bit of history.

Mike Hawthorn(Lemans winner 1955) driving a preview lap on the Lemans track in a Jaguar.(1956!) on Vimeo

You history buffs may recall that in 1955 at Le Mans, Mike Hawthorn was one of the drivers involved in the chain of immediate events that caused the accident where a Mercedes crashed into the crowd and killed over 80 people. Hawthorn went on to win Le Mans that year in a D-type Jag.

In 1958, Hawthorn, driving for Ferrari, won the world championship. He died that year in a non-racing accident driving his Jaguar sedan on an English road.

Steve

 

That's great.

Thank you, Steve!

 

awesome!

thanks for posting

 

he died on the guilford road, leaving london, on the downhill section where there is a light left hand bend. i have passed that spot dozens of times and still cant see how it happened frankly.

 

Notice how light his grip is on the wheel. It is almost like he is holding a baby bird in his fingers.

Dale

 

Named my car after the Bow Tie Champion.

 

Racing Rob Walker allegedly (even though Walker always denied they had been racing).

It was January, almost ice-cold wet tarmac, pouring with rain, high speed (well over 75 mph according to one witness), 1959 tyres - It's not that hard to see how it happened really!

Have a read: Jaguar Model Club

 

i guess those old tires just werent that great, and mike overestimated himself. a terrible and unnecessary loss

 

I had never heard the bit about the hand throttle...

interesting, and sad, story.

 

Fantastic footage, and I love the microphone setup! (Good thing the course didn't have too many bumps)