A photo tour around the old Reims Circuit in Northern France. The pictures are made by Herman Liesemeijer, on a rainy day in the summer of 2005. It shows all versions of the Reims-Gueux Circuit, inclusive the original section through the village of Gueux.
On top of the first hillock. The original track went straight on here, to the village of Gueux…
In the village of Gueux the drivers need to brake hard for this slow turn, which is now a roundabout…
After leaving Gueux we enter this intersection. Actually, we cross the 1953 – 1972 layout of the Reims Circuit…
Look at these beautiful fast corners on this part of the Reims Circuit!
On this site was a corner called Garenne, which lead to the backstraight (N31)…
Today the N31 is a multiple lane highway…
At the end of the long backstraight was the Thillois Hairpin, which is now the Thillois Roundabout…
From the Thillois Hairpin we accelerate on the long straight, back to Start/Finish…
Back at Start/Finish, but we’re not finish our tour at the old Reims Circuit here…
Later versions of the circuit
Since 1952 the section through the village of Gueux was cut off by the new corner Courbe de Gueux. Unfortunately, they changed this corner also into a roundabout!
The remained exit of Courbe de Gueux.
The name of this short straight is Bretelle Sud. Check also the intersection in front…
Yes, that’s the intersecetion were we have been here before! In 1952 they turned right at this point, to the part we know already. But since 1953 they went straight to a new section…
This corner on the new section was named after Annie Bousquet, a female racing driver who sadly died here during the 1956 edition of the 12 Hours of Gueux.
We’re reaching the Hovette Corner. This was the only left-hander 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 today! The hillock on the background is recognizable, but the track has gone.
On the background the old backstraight (N31). Because of the reconstruction of the N31, the Muizon corner has been demolished! So our lap ends in the cornfields. Check also the main article “Circuit Reims-Gueux – A piece of Motorsport History” for more information about this lost circuit, that once hosted the Formula One French Grand Prix.
