Hungary: Hungaroring Track Facts

By Phil Huff
August 3 2006

The Hungaroring has been a regular fixture on the GP calendar since 1986 when it became the first Formula One event to take place in Eastern Europe.

Until recently, the circuit layout had remained the same since 1989, when an unplanned kink around an underground spring was removed, shortening the track and making it the second shortest lap on the current F1 calendar.

The twisty layout, with modifications made in 2003, also makes this the slowest circuit bar Monaco, and three corners (the Turn 2 and 13 hairpins, plus the Turn 6/7 chicane) are all 90 km/h turns. The fastest corner is the relatively modest 170km/h left-hand kink at Turn 4.

Honda-powered drivers have taken victory in Hungary five times, Nelson Piquet taking the chequered flag in 1986 and 1987 and Ayrton Senna winning in 1988, 1991 and 1992.

At last years event, BAR Honda qualified in the middle of the pack, with Jenson Button lining up eight, with Takuma Sato right behind him in tenth. A long and difficult race saw both drivers improve to secure a good points haul, finishing fifth and eight respectively.

Honda drivers have been on the podium 11 times at the Hungaroring.