This weekend the WEC race was the scene of championsip fight-back at São Paulo. In the past, the follow up to the 24 hours was in the month of July in Reims.

As Le Mans , the Reims circuit was fast. And as Le Mans the corners were the names of neighbouring towns, exchanging Mulsanne and Arnage for Gueux, Thillois and Muizon.

In 1926 , two years after its inauguration, Reims hosted an "around-the-clock" race won by Roger Gauthier in a Bignan. The 12 Hours of Reims reappeared in 1953 when duo of Stirling Moss and Peter Whitehead won in a Jaguar C type , but not without difficulty the U.S. Cunningham content . Jaguar won three times between 1954 and 56, the 55 race cancelled due to the tragedy of Le Mans. Reserved for GT cars, in 57 and 58 the Ferrari 250 GT took the first five places each year. This unpopular formula led to the suspension of the race for five years.

The revival of prototypes gave new life to the 12 Hours of Reims in 1964. Seeking a consolation prize after their Le Mans débâcle, Ford entered three Ford GT 40 against a handful of private Ferraris. Yet it was one of the latter who won after the Americans broke their transmissions. A little happier at Le Mans in 1965, Ford ignored Reims and left the Ferrari of P.Rodriguez -Guichet ( NART ) in win, ahead of another P2 of Surtees - Parkes . In 1967, the winners of the "race of the century", again skipped the race. In the absence of the Ford MkIV it was between the Ferrari P4 and Chaparral 2F, the victory went to an aging GT Mk IIB entered by Ford France and entrusted to Schlesser and Ligier. Behind them Paul Hawkins became the fastest driver in the history of Reims setting a new lap record at over 229 km/h average speed driving a Lola T 70 . The cancellation of the race in 1968 following the events of May precipitated the end of the Reims circuit whose route is now considered dangerous. After a final round of F2 in 1969, he was finally abandoned . The remains of pits and grandstands still exist today.

	In 1965, the Cobra of Schlesser-Bondurant brought vengance to Shelby after defeat at Le Mans and secured them the GT title.			In 1967, Schlesser-Ligier won the final race in a Ford GT 40 entered by Ford France.			Early morning at Reims where the race starts at midnight. The grandstands and pits are still visible today.

WINNERS OF THE 12 HEURES DE REIMS
1953 | Moss-Whitehead (Jaguar C)
1954 | Wharton-Whitehead (Jaguar D)
1956 | Bueb-Hamilton (Jaguar D)
1957 | Gendebien-Frère (Ferrari 250 GT)
1958 | Gendebien-Frère (Ferrari 250 GT)
1964 | Bonnier-Hill (Ferrari 250 LM)
1965 | P. Rodriguez-Guichet (Ferrari 365 P2)
1967 | Schlesser-Ligier (Ford Mk IIB)

READ MORE ABOUT THE RACE IN  : "Les 12 Heures de Reims" (Editions Palmier) in French

Julien HERGAULT / ACO