The Hungaroring was built in the Mid-80's as Bernie Ecclestone wanted to bring F1 behind the Iron curtain and into the communist world. The track was designed in 1985, and was built in just seven months before opening in June of 1986. F1 came to the track 12 miles outside of Budapest in August of 1986, in an entertaining race that saw Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna exchange track position with Piquet winning in his Williams.

The original track had a really slow first section with a hairpin, followed by some really tight, winding chicane esses that led onto an uphill straight and into a lighting-quick left hander. This led into a slow back section that included a series of slow to medium speed turns that led into a mini-straight that led into a pair of quasi-hairpins and back onto the front straight. The first race had a remarkable slow average speed, only 151 km/h by the winner, in a race that took over two hours.

The chicane that made the esses in the first section was removed in 1989, and the most recognized layout was created, a layout that saw Michael Schumacher win three times, Mika Hakkinen, Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, and Ayrton Senna win twice, all in top class cars. The circuit benefits track position, pit strategy, and high downforce.

In 2003 changes were made to the track layout in order to increase overtaking. Its mid summer date on the F1 calendar ensures that temperatures are usually scorching and that the whole city of Budapest turns into a festival celebrating F1. The Hungaroring appears to have a long-term future in F1, as sponsorship money continues to flow into the Hungarian GP, and tourists continue to flock to the circuit from all over the World.

Classic moments in History

Damon Hill almost wins at the Hungaroring 1997