Le Mans 1955 of Ecurie National Belge entered Jaguar D Types making a pit stop during the famous 24 hours race. The yellow painted Ecurie National Belge short-nose, number 10, chassis number XKD 503 was driven by sometime F1 drivers Johnny Claes and Jacques Swaters.
The event was won by the Hawthorn and Bueb works team Jaguar D Type with the Belgian car 3rd but the race was blighted by the apalling accident to Pierre Levegh's Mercedes which went into the packed crowds right opposite the pits, killing over 80. It was the worst accident in motor racing history and came close to seeing the sport banned altogether in many countries (it still is in Switzerland).
The photo shows the old pits building which dated from the 1930s. After the accident this was demolished and a new one built (itself demolished in the 1990s).
Photo available in the following sizes
12x16 inch (300x400mm)
10x7 inch (250x175mm)
7x5 inch (175x125mm)
Newly printed up in a commercial photo lab from the original slide held in our archives
Copyright wording does not appear on the actual photo
