The Circuit de Reims-Gueux was a historic road racing circuit located near the village of Gueux, about 8 km west of Reims. Established in 1926, it quickly became one of the fastest circuits in Europe thanks to its extremely long straights and sweeping corners.
The triangular layout used public roads connecting the villages of Gueux, Thillois, and Muizon, forming a high-speed course famous for spectacular slipstream battles. Reims-Gueux hosted numerous major events, including the French Grand Prix and the endurance 12 Hours of Reims.
Although the circuit closed in 1972, parts of the pit complex and grandstands still stand today as iconic monuments of classic Grand Prix racing.
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Circuit de Reims-Gueux
| First Grand Prix | 1950 French Grand Prix |
| Number of Laps | 48 laps |
| Circuit Length | 8.302 km |
| Race Distance | 400.694 km |
| Lap Record | 2:11.300 Lorenzo Bandini (1966) |
Circuit
When was Circuit de Reims-Gueux built?
Motor racing first arrived in the Reims region in the 1920s with the Grand Prix de la Marne. In 1926, the event moved to a new road circuit west of Reims, creating the Reims-Gueux circuit.
The layout used public roads between several villages, forming a rough triangular shape. Early versions of the circuit featured two very long straights, each roughly 2.2 km long, a handful of tight corners, and fast kinks that could be taken at full throttle.
This configuration placed heavy strain on engines, brakes, and fuel consumption while creating extremely high top speeds.
Reims-Gueux became legendary for its slipstream racing. Because of the long straights, drivers could draft one another, creating dramatic battles in which cars would repeatedly swap positions before braking into the next corner.
This style of racing produced some of the most memorable moments in Formula One’s early history, especially during the 1950s and early 1960s.
The circuit also featured impressive grandstands and pit buildings along the main straight, which became one of the most recognisable pit complexes in European motorsport.
When was the first French Grand Prix at Circuit de Reims-Gueux?
Reims-Gueux hosted the French Grand Prix multiple times during the early decades of Formula One.
World Championship races were held at the circuit in 1950–1951, 1953–1954, 1956, 1958–1961, 1963, and 1966.
Many famous drivers won here, including Juan Manuel Fangio, Mike Hawthorn, and Jack Brabham.
The final Formula One race at Reims took place in 1966, won by Jack Brabham driving a Brabham-Repco.
By the late 1960s, the circuit’s public road layout and high speeds made it increasingly unsafe for modern racing cars. Financial difficulties also played a role. Maintaining the infrastructure required for major international events became too costly.
The final races took place in 1972, after which the circuit closed permanently.
Unlike many historic road circuits, several structures from Reims-Gueux still survive. Preserved elements include the original pit buildings, the timekeeping tower, and parts of the grandstands.
A preservation group called Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux works to restore and protect these historic structures, making the site a popular destination for motorsport enthusiasts.
Visitors can still drive sections of the original roads, although it is no longer possible to complete a full lap of the later layouts.
Circuit de Reims-Gueux lap record
The Formula One lap record for the final layout of the circuit was set during the 1966 French Grand Prix by Lorenzo Bandini in a time of 2:11.300 driving a Ferrari 312.
Reims-Gueux remains one of the great lost circuits of Grand Prix racing, remembered for its blistering speeds, dramatic slipstream battles and iconic pit complex set among the vineyards of the Champagne region.
