The Grand Prix de la Marne (commonly known as the Marne Grand Prix) was a motor race organized by the Automobile Club de Champagne and staged at the circuit Reims-Gueux on public roads located west of the city of Reims in the Marne département of north-eastern France. It proved to be one of the fastest and most prestigious road races in Europe.
History
The origins of motor racing in the Marne district of the Champagne region date to 1912/1913 motorcycle competitions held on a road course referred to as the Circuit de la Champagne à Reims near the town of Sarcy (about west-south-west of Reims).
The first race for automobiles was held on August 2, 1925 at the 20 km Circuit de Beine-Nauroy (approximately 10 km south-east of Reims near the Reims-Prunay airport on road D-931). In 1926, the Grand Prix moved to the Reims-Gueux circuit, starting an annual series to run un-interrupted until 1931. By 1932, the popularity and success of the race prompted the French Automobile Club to host the French Grand Prix (billed as the XVIII Grand Prix de l'ACF) at the then circuit. The French GP returned in 1938 / 1939 under grand prix regulations, two Formula 1 non-championship rounds in 1948 and 1949 and from the inaugural 1950 Formula 1 championship season for another eleven editions at various years until 1966.
Except for the 1926 Coupe d'Or (the first 12 hrs of Reims), the 1932 Grand Prix de France at Reims was the first major race not billed as the Grand Prix de la Marne even though a few contemporary sources and regional interest continued to refer to the ACF sanctioned Grand Prix de France as "Grand Prix de la Marne". Various race name and numbering systems are still in use today. A typical example among the editions published under different race names and/or numbers is the 1952 Grand Prix: XIII Grand Prix de la Marne (F2 Register), (Stats F1) - XX Grand Prix de la Marne" (GEL Motorsport Information Page) - Grand Prix de France - GP de Reims (sports car) 1952 (Amis de Circuit Gueux).
The last Grand Prix de la Marne was held in 1937, effectively ending the series except for a final edition in 1952.
Grand Prix de la Marne time line
1925 1926–1927 1928–1935 1935–1937 1952 Grand Prix de la Marne - Circuit Beine-Nauroy Grand Prix de la Marne - Circuit Reims-Gueux Grand Prix de la Marne - Circuit Reims-Gueux Grand Prix de la Marne - Circuit Reims-Gueux Grand Prix de la Marne - Circuit Reims Formula Libre Formula Libre Grand Prix Sports car Formula 2
The Grand Prix de la Marne by year
Legend: Formula Libre = FL - Grand Prix = GP - Voiturette = VT - Sports car = SC - Formula 2 = F2
Year Date Event Reg. Winner Constructor / Car Circuit Laps Time km/h av. Report 1925 Aug. 2 1° GP de la Marne FL Pierre Clause Bignan 22 km 10 2:08:56.4 104.20 km/h Report 1926 July 25 2° GP de la Marne FL François Lescot Bugatti T35B 2L C 7.816 km 40 2:50:15.6 112.77 km/h Report 1927 July 10 3° GP de la Marne FL Philippe Étancelin Bugatti T35B 7.816 km 50 3:26:20.2 116.32 km/h Report 1928 July 8 4° GP de la Marne GP Louis Chiron Bugatti T35 7.816 km 50 3:00:47.4 132.75 km/h Report 1929 July 7 5° GP de la Marne GP Philippe Étancelin Bugatti 35C 7.816 km 50 2:54:14.6 137.74 km/h Report 1930 June 29 6° GP de la Marne GP René Dreyfus Bugatti T35B 7.816 km 50 2:49:27.6 141.626 km/h Report 1931 July 5 7° GP de la Marne GP Marcel Lehoux Bugatti T51 7.816 km 50 2:47:37.4 143.18 km/h Report VT Philippe Auber Bugatti T37A 7.816 km 50 3:19:00.4 120.588 km/h 1932 XVIII Grand Prix de l'ACF 1933 July 2 8° GP de la Marne GP Philippe Etancelin Alfa Romeo Monza 7.826 km 51 2:45:12.4 145.0 km/h Report 1934 July 8 9° GP de la Marne GP Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo Tipo B 7.826 km 64 3:25:51.8 146.0 km/h Report 1935 July 7 10° GP de la Marne GP René Dreyfus Alfa Romeo Tipo B 7.826 km 64 2:57:52.8 157.760 km/h Report SC Albert Perrot Delahaye 18CV T-138 7.826 km 64 1:29:22.0 131.340 km/h Report 1936 July 5 11° GP de la Marne SC Jean-Pierre Wimille Bugatti 57G Tank 7.826 km 51 2:50:45.3 140.245 km/h Report 1937 July 18 12° GP de la Marne SC Jean-Pierre Wimille Bugatti T59 7.826 km 63 3:23:58.4 145.030 km/h Report 1938–1951 Grand Prix de l'ACF (1938–1939 - GP), (1948–1949 - F1 non-championship), (1950–1951 - F1) 1952 June 29 13° GP de la Marne F2 Jean Behra Gordini T16 7.152 km 71 3 hrs 169.935 km/h Report Sources:
Circuits by years
References
External links