Hungarian Grand Prix

The Hungarian Grand Prix has been a permanent fixture of the Formula 1 calendar since the 1986 season. It also marked F1’s first race behind the Iron Curtain, just outside of Budapest.

Bernie Ecclestone pushed for Formula 1 to have a race behind the Iron Curtain as he argued the series’ future. He felt F1 needed to push beyond the recognised automotive world in the early 1980s. Yet a race in Russia was the real target but that did not materialise before 2014.

Formula 1 was already established in Europe plus the Americas, Africa and Asia at the time. Ecclestone was also in talks over the first Australian GP, which debuted on the calendar one year before the Hungarian GP. The Hungaroring has also hosted each F1 race in Hungary yet.

History of the F1 Hungarian GP

Russia resisted Ecclestone’s attempts to hold a Formula 1 race behind the Iron Curtain, so he pivoted to Hungary. Talks had taken place over a Grand Prix in Moscow with a track through the Red Square. But once they collapsed, Budapest jumped at a chance to have an F1 event.

Budapest was already a forward-thinking city looking beyond life under communist control. So, it sought to welcome Formula 1 behind the Iron Curtain and reworked the Hungaroring in Mogyorod. A chance to race in Hungary delighted Ecclestone, F1 and many key sponsors.

The Hungaroring had already opened its doors before securing a slot on the F1 calendar. But efforts to bring Formula 1 to Eastern Europe saw the track rebuild its facilities and the twisty circuit. F1 then arrived in 1986 to race on the rollercoaster hidden in a natural green valley.

Many former military personnel took up key positions to see that Hungary’s debut in F1 got off flawlessly. Media from the world over also headed to Budapest to witness Nelson Piquet beat his Brazilian compatriot, Ayrton Senna. Only those two drivers finished on the lead lap.

Several F1 drivers have won their first race at the Hungarian GP

Piquet also returned to deny Senna again in 1987 but the Williams driver beat the Lotus ace by 37 seconds. A move to McLaren for 1988 then yielded Senna his first Hungarian GP win in the dominant MP4/4. Nigel Mansell in his Ferrari became the first European winner in 1989.

But the 1990 Hungarian GP won by Thierry Boutsen for Williams presented one of the major issues with the Hungaroring. Its tight and twisty layout can often produce processional races and the Belgian took full advantage of that to hold off Senna, despite having the slower car.

Mansell had proven that passes are possible in 1989 after coming through from only P12 on the grid. He even won by 25 seconds to Senna, whom the Briton passed whilst lapping Onyx driver Stefan Johansson. Mansell drew alongside Senna after they hit traffic at a tricky time.

Many drivers have also won their first Formula 1 race at the Hungarian GP, including Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006, Heikki Kovalainen in 2008 and Esteban Ocon in 2021. Kovalainen’s victory also made the Finn the 100th Grand Prix winner.

Jenson Button and Esteban Ocon needed luck but Lewis Hamilton is dominant in Hungary

Button and Ocon achieved their maiden Formula 1 wins in dramatic fashion, as well. Button secured a long-overdue first victory in F1 from 14th on the grid thanks to wet weather and a safety car. The Briton charged through the pack and took advantage of Alonso’s retirement.

Ocon also needed a slice of luck to win his first F1 race but more than merited the result in 2021. The Frenchman kept his Alpine out of danger when Valtteri Bottas sparked a first-lap pile-up into Turn 1, misjudging his braking and spearing Lando Norris into Max Verstappen.

Bottas left it just too late to brake in his Mercedes in the wet conditions and would even hit Sergio Perez of Red Bull. Ocon picked his way through the ruins from P8 on the grid. He also resisted pressure from Sebastian Vettel, and later Lewis Hamilton, for Ocon’s first win in F1.

No driver is more successful around the Hungaroring than Hamilton is, though. The Briton is the most dominant driver in the history of the Hungarian GP with multiple wins for McLaren and Mercedes. He stood atop the podium in Hungary for the first time as a rookie in 2007.

What is the Hungaroring like?

While the Hungarian Grand Prix can yield processional races, the Hungaroring is a rewarding track for Formula 1 drivers. It is akin to a go-kart circuit given its tight layout, plus a flurry of sharp corners. The layout of the track also obliges F1 teams to run high levels of downforce.

Some have even dubbed the Hungaroring as ‘Monaco without the barriers’ given the track is so narrow in some parts. It also has an almost endless run of corners that require a balanced car. The first sector calls for a quick car in a straight line before the track starts to tighten up.

The twisty nature of the middle sector is the predominant reason why the Hungarian GP can yield processional races. There is only one racing line through the stream of corners. But the Formula 1 teams and drivers must also take into full account the normally hot temperatures.

F1 generally schedules the Hungarian GP as one of the final races before the summer break. So, the teams must monitor their brake and engine temperatures closely in the race to avoid issues. Hamilton has also dubbed the Hungaroring as ‘a track that you can be aggressive at’.

Winners of the F1 Hungarian GP