Switzerland has lifted a 52 year old ban on any form of motor racing taking part in the country. The ban was first introduced following the more than 80 deaths at the disaster at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The ban was lifted following heated discussions within the Swiss parliament with some arguing that the reintroduction of the sport could help the countries component manufacturers and the tourism industry, while others argued that the sport wasn’t good for the environment.
The final voting saw the ban lifted with 97 votes for and 77 against.
The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans when a racing car involved in an accident flew into the crowd of spectators, killing the driver and 82 fans.
On June 11, 1955, the 24 Hours of Le Mans began, with Pierre Levegh behind the wheel of the #20 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR run by Daimler-Benz, Levegh’s #20 and Macklin’s #26 can be seen near one another in the picture.
The 300 SLR struck the mound at such speed and angle that it was launched into a somersault, the centrifugal force of which caused parts of the car which were loose or damaged in the impact to be flung free of the car. This included the hood and front axle, both of which were hurled airborne before landing in the crowd. The car’s engine block also broke free and shot directly into the spectators like a cannon ball. Pierre Levegh was also thrown free of the somersaulting car, crushing his skull when he landed.