A lap at the Reims-Gueux Circuit

A photo tour at the Reims-Gueux circuit, made on a rainy day in the summer of 2005 by Herman Liesemeijer.

We're leaving the pit lane and go uphill!

Until 1951 the track goes straight to the village of Gueux.

In Gueux hard braking was necessary for a slow right hand corner!

At this intersection we cross the pos 1951 part of the track.

Beautiful fast and rolling corners on this part of the track!

On this site was a corner called Garenne which was leading to the back straight (N31)...

But the N31 is now a multiple lane motorway...

And the Thillois Hairpin is now the Thillois Roundabout!

From Thillois we accelerate on the long straight to start/finish...

But we're not finished yet...

Since 1952 the circuit turned right after the first hillock to cut off the Gueux section. It also reduced the length of the start/finish straight to "just" two kilometres! Unfortunately, they changed this corner also in a roundabout ...

Again beautiful sweeping corners.

Look at the intersection in front...

Yes we have been here before! In 1952 they turned right at the intersection to the part we know already. But since 1953 they cross the intersection into the direction of Muizon.

This corner was named after Annie Bousquet who died here in 1956 during the 12 Hours of Gueux.

We're reaching the Hovette Corner. The only left hand corner in the 1953-1972 version of the track.

Unfortunately ... This beautiful corner is ending into the corn fields!

In front was the Muizon Corner which was leading to the long back straight (N31)...

Phil Hill in his Ferrari during the French Grand Prix of 1960...

The same place now!

On the background the old back straight (N31). Because of the reconstruction of the N31, the Muizon corner has been demolished! So our lap ends in the corn fields.

© Text & pictures: Herman Liesemeijer. Map: Sylvain Regnier. Picture from 1960: George Standaar.