The 'Hungaroring' is a
Formula 1 racing circuit near
Budapest,
Hungary where the
Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula 1
Grand Prix behind the
Iron Curtain.
Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the
USSR, but a
Hungarian friend of his recommended
Budapest. They wanted a street circuit similar to the
Circuit de Monaco to be built in the Népliget - Budapest's largest park - but the communist government decided to build a new circuit just outside the city near a major highway. The circuit was built in eight months, less time than any other Formula 1 circuit.
Description
Held in the middle of a central European summer, it is a circuit in the
Grand Prix calendar that saw its first wet race in the 2006 season. The circuit is generally dusty due to underuse throughout the season, and this dustiness is heightened by the circuit's location in a valley near
Budapest, attracting dust and litter from the city. Its location on sandy soil also means that if a car drops a wheel off the track, it kicks up massive clouds of dust.
Normally an underused circuit becomes faster over the weekend as the track rubbers in; however, with the Hungaroring this generally does not happen because the track can get dusty so quickly. This is a circuit where there is often a heightened advantage to running late in qualifying.
Due to the nature of the circuit - twisty and dusty off the racing line - overtaking is rare. Nonetheless, the Hungaroring has been the scene of several memorable races such as the duels of
Nelson Piquet and
Ayrton Senna,
Nigel Mansell's lost wheel in 1987, Mansell's win from 12th on the grid in 1989,
Damon Hill's race with an
Arrows in 1997, maiden wins for
Fernando Alonso in 2003 and
Jenson Button in 2006 in the track's first ever wet grand prix, and others.
Drivers
Hungaroring has crowned two drivers in its 20 year history: both
Nigel Mansell in 1992 and
Michael Schumacher in 2001 were able to win the World Championship title at early points of the seasons. Moreover, both
Hungary's
Zsolt Baumgartner and
Poland's
Robert Kubica made their debut on this track as the first F1 drivers of their countries. The
WilliamsF1 Team also secured the constructors Championship at the Hungaroring in
1996.
The
2006 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first wet grand prix at the Hungaroring. This saw the retirement of many drivers including championship rivals
Fernando Alonso and
Michael Schumacher and gave
Jenson Button and the reborn
Honda F1 team their first win. Fernando Alonso also earned his first Grand Prix victory at this in 2003, claiming it his favorite track as a result.
According to statements and interviews, drivers are divided about the track. While many like
Ayrton Senna,
Nigel Mansell,
Michael Schumacher, and
Fernando Alonso claimed to love it, many others consider the track, and the Hungarian Grand Prix too slow, hot and demanding.
Austrian Gerhard Berger called the Hungarian Grand Prix as a home race during his career. Thousands of Austrians went to Hungary only for him each year. The technical driving centre of the Hungaroring held his name from 1998 until 2005 but it was changed to
Allianz.
The track also has a curve named after
Nigel Mansell.
Past Winners
Fans
While most of the foreign fans are from
Germany and
Austria, the Hungaroring has traditionally seen a large influx of
Finnish fans as well. With the loss of the
Austrian Grand Prix, this is the closest
Formula One event for fans from other central European countries. The
2006 race saw many spectators from
Poland due to the debut of their first Formula 1 driver,
Robert Kubica.
Some say that the Hungaroring is similar in style to
Circuit de Monaco, due to its tight and twisty corners. A first change in the track layout was carried out in
1989, when the chicane after the actual turn 3 was removed. In
2003, the main straight (turn 1, see diagram) was lengthened by roughly 200 m, and the hairpin at the end of the straight was also tightened in an attempt to facilitate more overtaking opportunities, as well as a tightening of what was Turn 13. However, this is largely seen to have failed.
The circuit is almost flat, the only notable change in elevation being a valley in the straight after Turn 3.
The contract was prolonged until
2011, although
tobacco advertising will be banned starting in
2007.
The Hungaroring is the home of Hungarian
motorsport. Besides Formula One, there were also DTM, WTCC, FIA GT races in its history. A public drag race event takes place every month.
Trivia
If rotated to the left and mirrored, the shape of the track bears a slight resemblance to a distorted version of
Greater Hungary.
External links
★
Hungaroring
★
Official Website of the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix
★
Hungaroring Circuit History and Statistics
★
Satellite picture by Google Maps
★
Ciro Pabón's Racetracks 3D views and virtual laps of all F1 circuits, including this one, via Google Earth
See also
★
List of Formula One circuits
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