Reims-Gueux

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 49°15′15″N, 3°55′51″E

The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951.
The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951.
The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1954 and 1972. This was the track's final incarnation.
The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1954 and 1972. This was the track's final incarnation.

Reims-Gueux 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. In 1952, the circuit was significantly altered to bypass the village of Gueux, and many people now refer to the course as simply Reims.

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 was last used by Formula One in 1966, 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.

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

[edit] Formula One history

Season Date Winning Driver Winning Constructor Report
1966 July 3 Flag of Australia Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco Report
1963 June 30 Flag of the United Kingdom Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Report
1961 July 2 Flag of Italy Giancarlo Baghetti Ferrari Report
1960 July 3 Flag of Australia Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Report
1959 July 5 Flag of the United Kingdom Tony Brooks Ferrari Report
1958 July 6 Flag of the United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari Report
1956 July 1 Flag of the United Kingdom Peter Collins Ferrari Report
1954 July 4 Flag of Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes Report
1953 July 5 Flag of the United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari Report
1951 July 1 Flag of Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Report
1950 July 2 Flag of Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Report

[edit] External links