γ Circinus: a young visual binary with pre-main-sequence component(s)?

An analysis of the evolutionary stage of the bright, close visual pair γ Cir is given. From the observed spectral types and apparent visual magnitudes of the components and the comparison with stellar evolutionary computations we deduce that the members of this system, discovered in 1835, cannot both be evolving rightward in the Hertzprung-Russell diagram: at least the F8 component is a pre-main sequence object. On the other hand, a re-analysis of all available astrometric data shows that the observations can be fitted either by rectilinear or elliptical motion. Very accurate data collected during several more years would be needed to distinguish between both. However, should the binary nature be confirmed in the future, then - according to considerations based on stellar evolution - γ Cir appears to be a pre-main sequence binary system.