Slipstream battles

The Circuit Reims-Gueux was a motor racing circuit made up of rural public roads, located in Gueux, 8 km west of Reims in the Champagne region on north-eastern France. The triangular layout of public roads formed three, mostly straight sectors, between the village of Thillois and Gueux.

The 1961 French Formula One Grand Prix held at Reims-Gueux, picture-above, was dominated by the Scuderia Ferrari and its 156 – here pole man Phil Hill #16 leading team mates Wolfgang von Trips #20 and Richie Ginther #18, in the early stages of the race. But it was a fourth Ferrari driver, Italian Giancarlo Baghetti (picture-below) who won his first World Championship race. He would never finish in the top three again.

The circuit became known to be amongst the fastest of the era for its two long straights (approximately 2.2 km each, allowing maximum straight-line speed, resulting in many famous slipstream battles. Unfortunately for us who love the magic of this place, it was closed in 1972.