It’s the final race week before summer break, but it’s a great one as we head to Hungary!
The Hungaroring has been on the schedule since 1986, and has provided us with some great racing and several first-time winners. Here are some things you might not know about the track and its surrounding areas!
That’s how this circuit has previously been described, and you can see why. The tight and twisty nature of the circuit makes it quite the challenge, even for the most experienced of drivers, and it’s said that Formula 1 wanted a track that carried similarities to the Principality’s, but based in or around Budapest.
The World Championship had originally requested the race to be in Népliget, the largest park in Hungary’s capital city.
Instead, the Hungaroring was built in an area called Mogyoród, on the outskirts of Budapest, and sits in a natural bowl for great views of the track. The circuit was also created in just nine months – a record at the time.
Drivers often say this track feels like a street circuit, with just a few straights but a very fast and flowing nature to the 4.381km layout.
Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, is one of Europe’s most vibrant and visited locations, with so much history and entertainment on offer. It makes it a great race for fans, who can stay in the centre with plenty of accommodation options, with the race track about 25km away.
The city itself boasts excellent architecture, including the iconic parliament building that sits along the bank of the Danube river and remains the largest building in the country since its completion in 1904. Across the water is also the Fisherman's Bastion, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a wonderful location to enjoy the sunrise or sunset from – speaking from experience!
There are also the famous thermal baths dotted around the city, with Széchenyi probably being one of the most well-known. Budapest is actually known as the “City of Spas", and they are believed to have excellent health benefits like reducing stress, helping boost circulation and ease muscle pain.
This circuit has seen some awesome racing events in the past, and has been home to many firsts for many drivers. For Mercedes, George secured his maiden pole position here in 2022 through a spectacular ‘Mr Saturday’ performance. Kimi’s first Formula 2 Feature Race also happened at the Hungaroring in 2024, with our third driver Fred also clinching all three wins at this circuit on his way to the FRECA Championship in 2019.
As an engine supplier, Mercedes have also got the most victories, pole positions, podiums and points, here, and as a constructor have a record-equalling nine poles. Lewis also has the record for most pole positions at a single circuit here, with nine to his name, and six of those with us as a constructor but all using Mercedes engines.
The Hungaroring has also given plenty of drivers their first, and only, taste of success at the pinnacle of motorsport, with the likes of Damon Hill (1993), Fernando Alonso (2003), Jenson Button (2006), Heikki Kovalainen (2008), Esteban Ocon (2021) and Oscar Piastri (2024) all achieving their debut on the top step of the podium.
Hungary has been a fixture on the F1 calendar every year since that first event in 1986, and holds the second-longest run of hosting races on the schedule. Last season it celebrated its 40th Grand Prix event, with only Monza having hosted more consecutive Grand Prix weekends every year.
The Italian Grand Prix has been held at Monza since the very first Formula 1 season in 1950, but in 1980 found a temporary home at Imola whilst the ‘Temple of Speed’ was refurbished. Since 1981, it’s remained an unchanged staple on our racing calendars.
Monaco would have held the record, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event, which marked the first time since 1955 that Formula 1 failed to race around the special Monte Carlo streets.
Hungary, as a nation, has also helped design and create some amazing everyday items, ranging from the ballpoint pen in 1938 which was thought up by Hungarian journalist László Bíró, to the Rubik's Cube, which first appeared in 1974.