User:MotorOilStains/Reference4



help - comments etc
This is where I like to make my mistakes. No need for dev stuff to be indexed by external search bots. (noindex tag) But the right place for input, advise, corrections etc, for anyone interested in this... If there's input (anyone?), I'd find it convenient to have it right here in this section instead of using the "talk" page. (one less window to have to click between)

Circuit Reims-Gueux
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. The triangular layout of public roads formed three sectors between the villages of Thillois and Gueux over the La Garenne / Gueux intersection of route N-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
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. The circuit remained essentially the same for the remaining calendar of the pre-war years, concluding the Grand Prix era with the 1938-1939 championship editions of the French Grand Prix.

Racing at Reims-Gueux resumed in 1947 with the 16th Grand Prix de Reims, effectively closing the Grand Prix de la Marne series except for a last edition in 1952 and sporadic co-sponsor/name appearances for various racing series. 1948 and 1949 saw the first Formula 1 cars at Reims-Gueux for two non-championship rounds. By then temporary grand-stands 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 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, shortening the circuit from 7.826 km to 7.152 km (4.444 mi) after which it was re-named "Circuit de Reims" or commonly referred to simply as "Reims". The process was reported to have felled trees and demolished structures to make the circuit safer, yet faster. Improvements continued in preparations for 1953, the inaugural year of the 12 Hours of Reims series, which featured a new D26 extension to intersect with the La Garenne straight 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).

<-- old part -->

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 is 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.

Circuit time line
Legend

Coupe des P. C. = Petites Cylindrées, Trophée P-GT-Sport = Prototypes - Grand Tourisme

Reims-Gueux by year

 * 12 Hrs of Reims Reference
 * Sports car races at Reims Reference
 * Grand Prix de la Marne Reference
 * Grand Prix de Reims Reference
 * Circuit de Reims-Gueux Wikipedia (French)
 * Reims-Gueux