Reims-Gueux

Reims-Gueux

Location	Gueux, west of Reims, France
Time zone	GMT +1
Major events	French Grand Prix, 12 hours de Reims, Grand Prix de la Marne
Second variation (1953-72)
Length	8.372 km (5.187 mi)
Turns	7
Lap record	2:11.3 (Lorenzo Bandini, Ferrari 312, 1966, Formula 1)
First variation (1952)
Length	7.152 km (4.444 mi)
Turns	5
Original circuit (1926-51)
Length	7.838 km (4.856 mi)
Turns	8
Lap record	2:27.8 (Juan Manuel Fangio, Alfa Romeo 159, 1951, Formula 1)

The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951.

Reims-Gueux (1926–1951) or Reims (1952–1972) was a triangular motor racing road course near Reims, France, which hosted 14 French Grands Prix.

Reims-Gueux was first established in 1926 on the public roads between the small French villages of Thillois and Gueux. The circuit had two very long straights between the towns, and teams strove to maximize straight-line speed of their cars; many slipstream battles ensued. Race organizers actually felled trees and demolished old houses in order to make the circuit even quicker.

Its first event was the Grand Prix de la Marne, staged by the Automobile Club of Champagne. International racing came soon thereafter, with the first official Formula One event occurring in 1950, the inaugural year of the Formula One world championship. The circuit layout was shortened and changed in 1952 to bypass the town of Gueux; and the circuit was then renamed Reims. The layout was changed yet again in 1953, it was made slightly longer and faster; two fast curves and a hairpin further up the RN31 highway were added. The circuit was last used by Formula One in 1966 and the last car meeting was held in 1969. Motor bike racing continued for 3 more years and it closed permanently in 1972 due to financial difficulties.

In 1997, there was to be a historic race held there, but for technical reasons, it was cancelled several months before it was due to take place and in 2002, the bulldozers arrived to demolish some portions of the track. Sections of the track around the pit lanes are still visible today.

The old RN31 straight between Muizon and Thillois has been widened and turned into a dual carriageway though it does follow the same line as the original 2 lane road that was raced on. It's still possible to drive a lap around the version of the circuit used until 1952 (though the old Garenne T-junction was obliterated as part of the widening of the RN31). It is no longer possible to complete a lap of the circuit used from 1953 onwards as the tarmac between Bretelle Nord and Muizon has been dug up. The annual historic meeting uses the Circuit d'Essais which came into being in 1952 and uses the 1953 circuit until La Hovette then turns onto the pre-1953 circuit up to Garenne.

Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux is a non-profit organisation working to preserve traces of the circuit.

The lap record of the original circuit (1926–1951) was 2:27.8 by Juan Manuel Fangio in an Alfa Romeo 159, and the lap record for the faster circuit (1954–1972) was 2:11.3 by Lorenzo Bandini in a Ferrari.

Winners of the 12 Hours of Reims Sports Car race

Year	Drivers	Team	Car	Laps	Distance
1953	Stirling Moss Peter Whitehead		Jaguar		2,036.356 km
1954	Ken Wharton Peter Whitehead		Jaguar D-type
1955	Cancelled
1956	Duncan Hamilton Ivor Bueb		Jaguar D-type
1957	Olivier Gendebien Paul Frere		Ferrari 250 GT
1958	Olivier Gendebien Paul Frere		Ferrari 250 GT
1964	Graham Hill Joakim Bonnier	Maranello Concessionaires	Ferrari 250 LM		2,443.933 km
1965	Pedro Rodríguez Jean Guichet	N.A.R.T.	Ferrari 365 P2		2,365.454 km
1966	No event
1967	Jo Schlesser Guy Ligier	Ford France	Ford MkIIA	296	2,458.256 km
1968	Cancelled

External links

• Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux
• Google Maps link