Sunday 29th July 1956

The British Jaguar team of Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhart won the Le Mans 24 hour race, driving a 3.4 litre Jaguar D, for the new Ecurie Ecosse team. This race also marked the golden jubilee of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) founded in 1906, however because of the previous year’s terrible accident, celebrations were deferred to 1957 to go along with the imminent 25th anniversary of the race. Following the events of 1955, the front stretch and pit lane were redesigned in order to enhance driver and spectator safety. This involved a change to the layout of the Dunlop curve, shortening the overall length of the track by 31 meters.This race saw the death of French driver Louis Héry when his Monopole was involved in an accident early in the race.