The Hungarian Grand Prix (Hungarian: Magyar Nagydíj) is an event of the Formula One World Championship which is held at Hungaroring in Hungary.
History[]
Origin[]
On June 21, 1936, the Hungarian Grand Prix was held for the first time. The track was 3.1 miles (5.0 km), and was laid out in Népliget,[1] one of Budapest's parks. All three cars of the Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union and Alfa Romeo were sent, and a very big crowd attended the race. However, there were no races afterwards for fifty years due to politics and World War II.
Hungaroring[]
The Hungarian Grand Prix, being a major coup by Bernie Ecclestone, became the first race in Formula One to be located behind the Iron Curtain. It is a mainstay of the racing calendar, taking place at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród near Budapest. As the Grand Prix is held under the heat during summer time in central Europe, it is the only current Grand Prix venue to not have a wet race until the 2006 race. Although tickets for the Grand Prix were expensive at the time, 200,000 people attended the first race.[1] The support from the fans is still very enthusiastic at the moment, especially from the Finnish fans.[2]
Processional races associate the Grand Prix, because of the track's nature being narrow, twisty and often dusty due to its under-use. Sometimes, a lot of cars follow one another, not being able to overtake. In the 1990 Hungarian Grand Prix, Thierry Boutsen was able to demonstrate it perfectly by leading in his slower but more nimble Williams car in front of 1990 champion Ayrton Senna's more powerful McLaren, who could not find a way to overtake him. Pit strategy is often the secret to performing a win at the Hungaroring, as well as qualifying. This was best demonstrated by Michael Schumacher in the 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Ferrari had his pit strategy changed in the middle of the race before one of his finest drivers was put in so to make a winning margin following all of the pit stops that were made. At the circuit, passing is rare. However, Nigel Mansell was able to do a famously bullish performance in the 1989 race, where he started twelfth on the grid and overtook each car one by one, and eventually took the lead after Senna got baulked by Stefan Johansson. In 2003, the Hungaroring had a slight modification so to allow more overtaking.
Budapest had other notable occasions, like first Grand Prix victories for Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003 (also becoming Spain's first Grand Prix winner, and the youngest driver at the time to take victory at a Grand Prix), Jenson Button in 2006, and Heikki Kovalainen in 2008 (also being the 100th Grand Prix victor). Another note comes from 1997, where Hill lost drive of his Arrows car on the final lap, costing him the win to Jacques Villeneuve. In 2014, Lewis Hamilton came within six seconds from Daniel Ricciardo's victory after starting from the pit lane.
In the 2001 race, Schumacher managed to equal the record of 51 Grand Prix wins previously set by Alain Prost, and win the 2001 championship, which too made a match with Prost's career tally.
The first race in Hungary to take place in the rain was the 2006 race, which was also where Button took his first win after starting 14th on the grid.
It was later announced at the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix that Hungary's contract was extended until 2022.[3]
Title sponsors[]
- 1986: Forma-1 Hungaroring
- 1987: Ungarischer Grand Prix
- 1988: POP 84 Magyar Nagydíj
- 1989: POP 84 Grosser Preis von Ungarn
- 1990, 2024: Hungarian Grand Prix
- 1991, 2006–2007, 2013, 2016: Magyar Nagydíj
- 1992–1995, 1997–2005: Marlboro Magyar Nagydíj
- 1996: Marlboro Magyar Nagydíj Grand Prix
- 2008–2009: ING Magyar Nagydíj
- 2010–2012: Eni Magyar Nagydíj
- 2014–2015, 2017: Pirelli Magyar Nagydíj
- 2018–2019, 2021: Rolex Magyar Nagydíj
- 2020, 2022: Aramco Magyar Nagydíj
- 2023: Qatar Airways Magyar Nagydíj
- 2025: Lenovo Magyar Nagydíj
Venues[]
| Venue (in chronological order) | Years |
|---|---|
| Népliget Park | 1936 |
| Hungaroring | 1986-present |
Totals[]
| Venue | Events Held |
|---|---|
| Hungaroring | 36 |
| Népliget Park | 1 (pre-1950) |
Winners[]
Drivers[]
Italics mean not a Formula One World Championship race
Constructors[]
Italics mean not a Formula One World Championship race
| # of wins | Constructor | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 12 |  McLaren
|
1988, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2024 |
| 7 | Williams
|
1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997 |
 Ferrari
|
1989, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2015, 2017 | |
| 5 |  Mercedes
|
2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| 3 |  Red Bull
|
2010, 2014, 2022, 2023 |
| 1 |  Alfa Romeo
|
1936 |
| Benetton
|
1994 | |
 Renault
|
2003 | |
 Honda
|
2006 | |
| Alpine
|
2021 |
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brad Spurgeon (26 September 2003). "Formula One: a way of fine-tuning an image". International Herald Tribune. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080804034640/http://www.iht.com/articles/2003/09/26/rrace_ed3_.php. Retrieved 29 February 2008.
- ↑ "Formula one races draw in fewer fans in Europe". American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary. http://web.archive.org/web/20090504234556/http://www.amcham.hu/BusinessHungary/17-08/articles/17-08_42.asp. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- ↑ "Hungarian Grand Prix deal extended until 2021". ESPN. 28 July 2013. http://en.espnf1.com/hungary/motorsport/story/118723.html. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
External links[]
| V T E | Grands Prix | |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi • Anniversary • Argentina • Australia • Austria • Azerbaijan • Bahrain • Belgium • Brazil • Caesars Palace • Canada • China • Dallas • Detroit • Eifel • Emilia Romagna • Europe • France • Germany • Great Britain • Hungary • India • Indianapolis 500 • Italy • Japan • Korea • Las Vegas • Luxembourg • Malaysia • Mexico • Miami • Monaco • Morocco • Netherlands • Pacific • Pescara • Portugal • Qatar • Russia • Sakhir • San Marino • São Paulo • Saudi Arabia • Singapore • South Africa • Spain • Styria • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • Tuscany • United States • United States West • Vietnam | ||
| Bold indicates a Grand Prix scheduled for 2024. | ||
| V T E |  Hungarian Grand Prix
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Circuits | Népliget Park (1936); Hungaroring (1986 - Present) |  |
| Races | 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 | |
| Non-Championship Race | 1936 |
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