The Hungaroring was the brainchild of Bernie Ecclestone, who in 1983 wanted to arrange a race in Eastern Europe and was persuaded by his Hungarian friend Tamas Rohonyi to consider Budapest as a venue. With Government backing secured, work started on the track in October 1985, and was completed in record time only eight months later. On 10th August, 1986 the first Hungarian Grand Prix was won by Nelson Piquet in a Williams Renault. The track is in a pretty parkland location, 19km from the centre of Budapest, alongside the M3 motorway close to the village of Mogyorod.
Time Zone : (GMT +1:00 hour) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris
Circuit Length : 2.722 miles / 4.381 km
Turns : 14; 8 right, 6 left
Lap Record : 1m 19.071s - M Schumacher, 2004
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Zytek KERS system in Hamiltons McLaren Mercedes takes first ever F1 win for KERS Car Posted on: 07/08/2009
Lewis Hamilton wins the first grand prix ever by a KERS-equipped car on July 26th at the Hungaroring.
The Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team scored their first 2009 season grand prix victory with the KERS-equipped MP4-24, when Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, July 26th. Hamilton had qualified fourth, but made a fantastic start tha... Read More >>
Hilton Budapest Westend Stay here in the heart of the city on bustling Vaci ut, just a 30 minute drive from the airport. The hotel is located just 35 minutes from Hungaroring.
Hilton Budapest Enjoy Danube view from this hotel, just 20 minutes from the centre of Pest
2010 Event Calendar
Hungarian F1 Grand Prix 31st July - 1st August 2010
Visit this webpage to view a full calendar of events at Hungaroring.
http://www.hungaroring.hu/en/Events
Surprise in Budapest
Posted by: Chris Jenkins
The Hungaroring circuit being set in a natural valley, with 36-metre difference in altitude, means that nearly 80 per cent of the racetrack is visible from any point – great for spectators. The race often throws up surprise results – Damon Hill so nearly winning in 1997 for Arrows, Alonso won his first GP here in 2003 for Renault, and Jenson Button took his first for Honda in 2006. The cars will reach around 200mph at the end of the pit straight, often the only chance of an overtaking manoeuvre. The track is bumpy and braking from high speeds is difficult; Alain Prost famously outbraked Senna here in 1988, only to run wide allowing Senna back through and on to eventual victory. McLaren have won eight times here closely followed by Williams with seven wins. Michael Schumacher has won four times here, and holds the lap record of 1m 19.071s set in 2004.
Budapest, the capital city of Hungary and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, is rightly regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and actually is made up of the two towns of Buda and Pest that lie across opposite banks of the Danube River and linked by four ornate bridges dating back to the end of the 19th century. The circuit is 20km north of the city, which has plenty of hotel accommodation, tending to be more expensive the closer to the river the hotel is located. Camping facilities are available at the circuit. Although great viewing is possible almost everywhere, the Gold 4 and Silver 4 grandstands are particularly good vantage points.
Getting there by air means flying into Ferihegy International Airport, 24km south east of Budapest that has links to all major European cities, as well as some destinations in North America. Two Helicopter pads are located at the circuit at the beginning of the pit straight. If you are not hiring a car for the weekend you can catch the airport minibus service into the city or take a taxi. For getting around town, there are three subway lines and an extensive tram network.
On race day, buses make most sense as the race organisers arrange departures from various locations around the city, though the journey can be upwards of an hour - and hot. Taxis are in demand and expensive on race weekend. The traffic has been said to make Silverstone look like a breeze at times, although parking is available at the circuit. By road from Budapest, take the M3 and turn off at the 20km mark, where the circuit is signposted. The motorways are toll roads, with a limit of 130kph. The Police are able to give on the spot fines and revoke licences, and it is illegal to drive with any alcohol in your blood, so beware.
With so many delights to excite the tourist it is hard to pick out only a few highlights: how about the Danube Embankment, Buda Castle District, the Lukacs Thermal Baths (the city has natural spa waters); Heroes Square and of course the beautiful bridges. To quench your appetite, most international cuisine is situated on the Pest side of the river, with popular restaurants such as Articsoka, Iguana and La Bodega. For Hungarian food, try Bagolyvar or Mori Borozo.
The circuit offers a range of activities for cars and bikes such as advanced driver instruction, track days, 4x4 driving, quad bikes, and there is even a “Run Wot You Brung” drag race event held monthly. More than enough to keep petrolheads busy!
The order of events at this year’s race weekend are as follows:
Friday 24th July F1 Practice 1 10:00 - 11:30
F1 Practice 2 14:00 - 15:30
Saturday 25th July
F1 Practice 11:00 - 12:00
F1 Qualifying 14:00
Sunday 26th July
F1 Race 14:00
