Reims-Gueux

Circuit de Reims-Gueux

Location	Gueux, west of Reims, France
Time zone	GMT +1
Coordinates	49°15′14.67″N 3°55′50.02″E / 49.2540750°N 3.9305611°E / 49.2540750; 3.9305611Coordinates: 49°15′14.67″N 3°55′50.02″E / 49.2540750°N 3.9305611°E / 49.2540750; 3.9305611
Major events	Grand Prix de la Marne French Grand Prix 12 Hours of Reims,
1926 Original circuit
Length	7.816 km (4.856 mi)
Turns	8
Lap record	2:27.8 ( Juan Manuel Fangio,   Alfa Romeo 159, 1951, Formula One)
1952 Variation
Length	7.152 km (4.444 mi)
Turns	5
1953 Variation
Length	8.372 km (5.187 mi)
Turns	7
Lap record	2:41.0 ( Juan Manuel Fangio,   Maserati, 1953, Formula One)
1954 Variation
Length	8.302 km (5.158 mi)
Turns	7
Lap record	2:11.3 ( Lorenzo Bandini,   Ferrari 312, 1966, Formula One)

The circuit Reims-Gueux was a Grand Prix motor racing road course, located 7.5 km west of Reims in the Champagne region of north-eastern France, established in 1926 as the second venue of the Grand Prix de la Marne.^[1][2] The triangular layout of public roads formed three sectors between the villages of Thillois and Gueux over the La Garenne / Gueux intersection of Route nationale 31. The circuit became known to be among the fastest of the era for its two long straights (approximately 2.2 km in length each) allowing maximum straight-line speed, resulting in many famous slipstream battles.

Circuit history

Motor racing started in 1926 with the second Grand Prix de la Marne, relocating the race from the Circuit de Beine-Nauroy to Reims-Gueux. The original 7.816 km circuit placed the start/finish line on road D27, approximately 1.6 km east of the Gueux village center, where it would remain for the duration of the circuit. Gradual improvements in track width to a few sections including the Garenne-Gueux / Thillois corners prior to the 1932 Grand Prix de France contributed to a new published circuit length of 7.826 km after which the circuit remained essentially the same until 1937.^[3][4]

Organizational changes prior to the 1938 GP de France saw extensive widening of the Thillois-Gueux straight. The process was reported to have felled trees and demolished structures to make the circuit yet faster, concluding the Grand Prix era with the 1938-1939 championship editions of the French Grand Prix.^[5]

Racing at Reims-Gueux resumed in 1947 with the 16th Grand Prix de Reims, effectively ending the Grand Prix de la Marne series except for a last edition in 1952. 1948 and 1949 saw the first Formula 1 cars at Reims-Gueux for two non-championship rounds. By then temporary grandstands were established fixtures at the Gueux / La Garenne and Thillois corners and after hosting the sixth round of the inaugural 1950 World Drivers' Championship, it became clear that the circuit needed further extensive renovations to comply with the accelerating Formula 1 technology.

For 1952, the track was re-configured to bypass Gueux via the (then) new D26 section, shortening the circuit from 7.826 km to 7.152 km (4.444 mi) after which it was renamed "Circuit de Reims" or commonly referred to simply as "Reims". Improvements continued in preparations for 1953, the inaugural year of the 12 Hours of Reims series, which featured a new D26 track extension from the Virage de la Hovette (Annie Bousquet corner) to a new purpose built intersection with the La Garenne straight (Muizon corner) about 1.2 km west of the previous Gueux / La Garenne junction, resulting in a new preliminary circuit length of 8.372 km (5.187 mi). The last major modifications were before the 1954 season, re-profiling the new Muizon corner from the previous year and the Thillois corner to a larger and faster radius, which established again a shorter and final circuit length of 8.302 km (5.158 mi). This public road circuit had previously been made up entirely of straights with a few slight and very fast kinks and slow corners; with the addition of these 3 fast sweepers and the extension of the main straight, this circuit, which was already very fast- was now even faster than it had been before, by about 10-15 mph per lap.

The pit boxes and stands of the former Reims-Gueux circuit pictured in 2016

The last year for Formula One at Reims came in 1966, final sports car competitions were held in 1969 and Motorcycle racing continued for another 3 years. In 1972, Reims-Gueux closed permanently due to financial difficulties. There was to be a historic race held in 1997 but it was cancelled for technical reasons several months before it was due to take place and by 2002, the bulldozers arrived to demolish some portions of the track. A few sections of the old circuit are still visible today around the pit lane, at the D26 / D27 round-about and a part of the D26 extension at the Hovette corner to what once was the 1953 Muizon hair-pin (visible on current sat. images).

Timekeepers' building at the former Reims-Gueux circuit pictured in 2016

Today, the old RN31 straight between Muizon and Thillois is a wider dual carriageway, although it does follow the same line as the original two-lane road of the former circuit. It is still possible to drive a lap around the (more or less) original 1926 version (through the center of Gueux) and the 1952 variant of the circuit, except for the old Garenne -junction which was demolished as part of the RN31 modernization. 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 removed. Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux (a non-profit organization) is working to preserve the old pit building, grandstands and other remaining structures of the circuit and actively support historic meetings which use the 1952 Circuit d'Essais.

Racing series at Reims-Gueux

Reims-Gueux by year

Legend

Year	Date	Event	Reg.	Winner	Constructor / Car	Circuit	Laps	Time	km/h av.	Report
1925	Aug. 2	1° GP de la Marne	FL	Pierre Clause	Bignan	22 km	10	2:08:56.4	104.20 km/h	Report
1926	July 25	2° GP de la Marne	FL	François Lescot	Bugatti T35B 2L C	7.816 km	40	2:50:15.6	112.77 km/h	Report
1927	July 10	3° GP de la Marne	FL	Philippe Étancelin	Bugatti T35B	7.816 km	50	3:26:20.2	116.32 km/h	Report
1928	July 8	4° GP de la Marne	GP	Louis Chiron	Bugatti T35	7.816 km	50	3:00:47.4	132.75 km/h	Report
1929	July 7	5° GP de la Marne	GP	Philippe Étancelin	Bugatti 35C	7.816 km	50	2:54:14.6	137.74 km/h	Report
1930	June 29	6° GP de la Marne	GP	René Dreyfus	Bugatti T35B	7.816 km	50	2:49:27.6	141.626 km/h	Report
1931	July 5	7° GP de la Marne	GP	Marcel Lehoux	Bugatti T51	7.816 km	50	2:47:37.4	143.18 km/h	Report
1931	July 5	7° GP de la Marne	VT	Philippe Auber	Bugatti T37A	7.816 km	50	3:19:00.4	120.588 km/h	Report
1932	July 3	18° GP de l'ACF	GP	Tazio Nuvolari	Alfa Romeo Tipo B	7.826 km	92	2:57:52.8	145.3 km/h	Report
1933	July 2	8° GP de la Marne	GP	Philippe Etancelin	Alfa Romeo Monza	7.826 km	51	2:45:12.4	145.0 km/h	Report
1934	July 8	9° GP de la Marne	GP	Louis Chiron	Alfa Romeo Tipo B	7.826 km	64	3:25:51.8	146.0 km/h	Report
1935	July 7	10° GP de la Marne	GP	René Dreyfus	Alfa Romeo Tipo B	7.826 km	64	2:57:52.8	157.760 km/h	Report
1935	July 7	1° GP de Tourisme	SC	Albert Perrot	Delahaye 135 S	7.826 km	25	1:29:22.7	131.34 km/h	Report
1936	July 5	11° GP de la Marne	SC	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Bugatti 57G Tank	7.826 km	51	2:50:45.3	140.245 km/h	Report
1937	July 18	12° GP de la Marne	SC	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Bugatti T59	7.826 km	63	3:23:58.4	145.030 km/h	Report
1938	July 2	32° GP de l’ACF	GP	Manfred von Brauchitsch	Mercedes W154	7.816 km	64	2:57:52.8	168.707 km/h	Report
1939	July 9	33° GP de l’ACF	GP	Hermann Paul Müller	Auto Union D	7.816 km	64	2:57:52.8	168.707 km/h	Report
1939	July 9	Coupe Sportive	VT	Armand Hug	Maserati 4CM	7.816 km	38	1:58:21.6	150.6 km/h	Report
1940 - 1946 (No racing events held)
1947	July 6	16° GP de Reims	GP	Christian Kautz	Maserati 4CL	7.816 km	51	2:34:50.7	155.181 km/h	Report
1947	July 6	1° Coupe des P.C.	F2	B. Bira	Simca-Gordini 11	7.816 km	26	1:29:20.4	136.473 km/h	Report
1948	July 18	35° GP de l’ACF	F1	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Alfa Romeo 158	7.816 km	64	3:01:07.5	165.699 km/h	Report
1948	July 18	2° Coupe des P.C.	F2	Raymond Sommer	Ferrari 166 SC	7.816 km	26	1:18:48.0	154.714 km/h	Report
1949	July 6	36° GP de l’ACF	F1	Louis Chiron	Talbot-Lago	7.816 km	64	3:06:33.7	160.870 km/h	Report
1949	July 6	3° Coupe des P.C.	F2	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari 166 2L	7.816 km	26	1:19:56.9	152.722 km/h	Report
1950	July 6	37° GP de l’ACF	F1	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo 158	7.816 km	64	2:57:52.8	168.722 km/h	Report
1950	July 6	4° Coupe des P.C.	F2	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari 166 2L	7.816 km	26	1:16:42.7	159.939 km/h	Report
1950	July 6	Coupe des Racers 500	F3	Alfred Bottoms	Cowlan-JBS / Norton	7.816 km	13	46:16.9	131.720 km/h	Report
1951	July 1	38° GP de l’ACF (E)	F1	Luigi Fagioli Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo 159	7.816 km	77	3:22:11.0	178.600 km/h	Report
1952	June 29	13° GP de la Marne	F2	Jean Behra	Gordini T16	7.152 km	71	3 hrs	169.935 km/h	Report
1953	July 5	40° GP de l’ACF	F2	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari 500 2L	8.347 km	60	2:44:18.6	182.881 km/h	Report
1954	July 4	41° GP de l’ACF	F1	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes W196	8,302 km	61	2:42:47.9	186.644 km/h	Report
1955 (No racing events held)
1956	July 1	42° GP de l’ACF	F1	Peter Collins	Lancia-Ferrari	8.302 km	61	2:34:23.4	196.809 km/h	Report
1957	July 14	2° GP de Reims	F1	Luigi Musso	Lancia-Ferrari D50	8.302 km	61	2:34:23.4	196.809 km/h	Report
1957	July 14	1° Coupe de Vitesse	F2	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari D156 F2	8.302 km	37	1:40:06.8	184.090 km/h	Report
1958	July 6	44° GP de l’ACF	F1	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari 246	8.302 km	50	2:03:21.3	201.905 km/h	Report
1958	July 6	2° Coupe de Vitesse	F2	Jean Behra	Porsche 718 F2	8.302 km	30	1:19:45.0	187.374 km/h	Report
1959	July 5	45° GP de l’ACF (E)	F1	Tony Brooks	Ferrari 246	8.302 km	50	2:01:26.5	205.086 km/h	Report
1959	July 5	3° Coupe de Vitesse	F2	Stirling Moss	Cooper T45	8.302 km	25	1:04:54.2	191.864 km/h	Report
1960	July 3	46° GP de l’ACF	F1	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	8.302 km	50	1:57:24.9	212.119 km/h	Report
1960	July 3	1° Coupe de Juniors	FJ	Mike McKee	Lotus 18 Cosworth	8.302 km	20	58:45.4	169.548 km/h	Report
1961	July 2	47° GP de l’ACF	F1	Giancarlo Baghetti	Ferrari 156	8.302 km	52	2:14:17.5	192.880 km/h	Report
1961	July 2	2° Coupe de Juniors	FJ	Trevor Taylor	Lotus 20 Cosworth	8.302 km	30	1:24:44.1	176.352 km/h	Report
1962	July 1	3° GP de Reims	F1	Bruce McLaren	Cooper Climax T60	8.302 km	50	2:02:32.2	203.31 km/h	Report
1962	July 1	3° Coupe de Juniors	FJ	Mike Spence	Lotus 22 Cosworth	8.302 km	10	27:03.1	184.130 km/h	Report
1963	June 30	49° GP de l’ACF	F1	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	8.302 km	53	2:10:54.3	201.676 km/h	Report
1963	June 30	Trophee P-GT-Sport	SC	Carlo Mario Abate	Ferrari TRI/61	8.302 km	25	01:02:59.5	197,686 km/h	Report
1963	June 30	4° Coupe de Juniors	FJ	Denis Hulme	Brabham BT6 Cosworth	8.302 km	20	54:27.0	182.958 km/h	Report
1964	July 5	Grands Prix France	F2	Alan Rees	Brabham Cosworth	8.302 km	37	01:36:10.6	191.625 km/h	Report
1964	July 5	4° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	Jackie Stewart	Cooper BMC	8.302 km	20	57:15.8	173.969 km/h	Report
1965	July 4	Grands Prix France	F2	Jochen Rindt	Brabham Cosworth	8.302 km	37	01:33:55.7	196.212 km/h	Report
1965	July 4	5° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Matra - Cosworth	8.302 km	20	54:33.8	182.578 km/h	Report
1966	July 2	Grands Prix France	F2	Jack Brabham	Brabham Honda	8.302 km	37	01:33:32.4	197.026 km/h	Report
1966	July 3	52° GP de l’ACF (E)	F1	Jack Brabham	Brabham BT19	8.302 km	48	01:48:31.3	220.315 km/h	Report
1966	July 3	6° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	John Fenning	Matra - Cosworth	8.302 km	20	55:16.3	180,238 km/h	Report
1967	June 25	Les Trophées de France	F2	Jochen Rindt	Brabham BT23	8.302 km	37	01:25:25.4	215.747 km/h	Report
1967	June 25	7° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Matra - Cosworth	8.302 km	20	54:39.8	182,243 km/h	Report
1968	June 25	Les Trophées de France	F2	Jackie Stewart	Matra MS7 Cosworth	8.302 km	35	01:25:23.1	207.869 km/h	Report
1968	June 25	8° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	Peter Westbury	Brabham BT21	8.302 km	15	41:29.3	180.088 km/h	Report
1969	June 25	Les Trophées de France	F2	François Cevert	Tecno Ford TF	8.302 km	35	01:19:21.3	219.692 km/h	Report
1969	June 25	9° Coupe de Vitesse	F3	Peter de Merrit	Tecno Toyota	8.302 km	15	53:39.3	185.669 km/h	Report
Sources:[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Sports car racing at Reims-Gueux by year (condensed)

Year	Date	Event	Drivers	Team	Constructor / Car	Group	Laps	Distance	km/h	Report
1926	Aug. 27	Coupe d'Or	Roger Gauthier	(Private)	Bignan 2LC	N/A	53	1056 km	N/A	Report
1935	July 7	1° GP de Tourisme	Albert Perrot	(Private)	Delahaye 18 CV	+3.0	25	195,672 km	131.34 km/h	Report
1936	July 5	11° GP de la Marne	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Bugatti (Works)	Bugatti 57G Tank	S5.0	51	399.126 km	140.245 km/h	Report
1937	July 18	12° GP de la Marne	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Bugatti (Works)	Bugatti T59	S5.0	63	500.0 km	140.245 km/h	Report
1952	June 29	13° GP de la Marne	Stirling Moss	T. H. Wisdom	Jaguar C-Type	S+2.0	50	359.88 km	158.017 km/h	Report
1953-1954		12 Heures Internationales de Reims
1955 Cancelled
1956-1958		12 Heures Internationales de Reims
1959 - 1963 Not held
1963	June 30	Trophee P-GT-Sport	Dick Protheroe	Protheroe	Jaguar E 3L+	P+3.0	25	207.550 km	193.910 km/h	Report
1964-1965		12 Heures Internationales de Reims - Sportscar World Championship
1966	July 3	Coupe Nationale R8 Gordini	Jean- Claude Andruet	Gordini	R8 Gordini	S1.2	12	99.624 km	145.748 km/h	Report
1967		12 Heures Internationales de Reims
1967	June 25	Coupe Nationale R8 Gordini	Francis Stalter	Gordini	R8 Gordini	S1.2	15	124.530 km	149.401 km/	Report
1968	June 24	Coupe Nationale R8 Gordini	Bernard Lagier	Gordini	R8 Gordini	S1.2	12	99.624 km	154.851 km/h	Report
1969	June 24	Coupe Nationale R8 Gordini	Alain Cudini	Gordini	R8 Gordini	S1.2	12	99.624 km	155.759 km/h	Report
Sources:[23][24][25]

Reims-Gueux Circuits by years

Street Map - Reims-Gueux 1926

Street Map - Reims 1952

Street Map - Reims- 1953

Street Map - Reims- 1954-1972

Related pages & external links

• Grand Prix de la Marne
• 12 Hours of Reims
• Amis du Circuit de Gueux (Palmares)
• Circuit Reims-Gueux (1926-1969) on Google Maps (Historic Grand Prix Circuits)

References