Reims-Gueux

Interesting facts

Reims-Gueux opened in 1926 as the successor to the earlier Circuit de Beine-Nauroy, laid out on public roads west of Reims near the village of Gueux; its original, roughly triangular 7.826 km lap consisted almost entirely of long straights and sharp corners, brutally hard on engines, brakes and fuel. In 1952 a new section (the D26) bypassed Gueux itself, shortening the lap to 7.152 km under the new name Circuit de Reims; for the 12 Hours of Reims in 1953-1954 it was extended to a new Muizon junction to 8.372 km, before the Muizon and Thillois corners were reshaped into wider sweepers, producing the definitive 8.302 km configuration used until 1972. The circuit was legendary for its slipstreaming battles, made possible by two nearly flat-out straights, each roughly 2.2 km long. Lap records trace the sport's evolution here: Juan Manuel Fangio's Alfa Romeo 159 did 2:27.800 in 1951, while Lorenzo Bandini's Ferrari 312 managed just 2:11.300 by 1966, with average speeds climbing from around 145 km/h in the 1930s to over 220 km/h by 1966. It hosted the French Grand Prix repeatedly between 1950 and 1966 (including 1950-51, 1953-54, 1956, 1958-61 and 1963, 1966), with winners including Fangio and Jack Brabham, and also staged non-championship Formula 1 races in 1948-1949. The circuit closed permanently in 1972 due to financial difficulties, and demolition began in 2002; the surviving structures, including the pit buildings, are now cared for by the preservation group Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux. The circuit is located in Reims, France. Formula 1 has raced here since 1950, with 11 races held so far, most recently in 1966. The first race here was won by Juan Fangio, in 1950. The most recent winner here was Jack Brabham, in 1966. Juan Fangio has won here more than anyone else, 3 times. Among constructors, Ferrari has been the most successful here, with 5 wins.

Circuit history