A track guide for the Hungarian Grand Prix is essential reading as Formula 1 prepares for the final race before its enforced summer shutdown.
Celebrating its 40th grand prix after extensive renovations, the Hungaroring has turned itself into a modern F1 classic venue, with exciting races often drawing acclaim from fans and competitors despite its ‘Monaco without the walls’ nickname.
A twisting 2.72-mile layout built into a natural bowl on the outskirts of the Hungarian capital Budapest, drivers are faced with a real test to set the perfect lap. Who will achieve that this year?
Hungarian Grand Prix track guide
A long start-finish straight takes drivers down to Turn 1 which immediately poses drivers with a challenge – a downhill braking zone before a tight right-hand hairpin, with the traction zone on exit meandering to the right. A good run here is crucial as the drop down the hill through Turn 2, which is a hardly noticeable kink that makes up the Turn 1 exit, presents an overtaking chance around the long and looping Turn 3, an almost 180-degree left-hander.
The track continues downhill here with the racing line dictating a drift wide towards the grass, but the power is wound on before the flat-out right-hand kink at Turn 4. Cars continue uphill into the exhilarating Turn 5 – a blind entry point with a right-hand kink before a flick left over the brow of the hill, an exit kerb waiting to punish any errors.
Drivers have no time to catch their breath as they switch across the track ready for the long right at Turn 6, continuing uphill and over another crown in the road before spotting the braking point for the Turn 7-8 chicane.
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This is where the track really gets technical: a short burst of throttle gets you to Turn 9, a left-hander taken with a lift before the track instantly turns back right – a painful corner that eggs drivers on to get on the power earlier than possible. The track shoots back left before another high-speed flick at Turn 11, again, though with an exit kerb awaiting punishment.
Brakes get another workout into Turn 12, a clumsy right-hander that slows everything back down before the final two corners – both 180-degrees, one to the left, one to the right.
The final corner is another crucial traction area as the long run to Turn 1 is an ideal overtaking spot with DRS assistance – activated after the final corner – with the finish line coming soon enough on the straight to avoid a drag to the line.
Hungarian Grand Prix 2025: How to get to the Hungaroring
One of the easiest-to-reach venues on the F1 calendar, flight options include Budapest’s Ferihegy International Airport or Vienna, in neighbouring Austria.
Transport links are plentiful, with four main stations in the city and a metro all connected to the race track by shuttle bus.
Being near a city, road links exist meaning driving is possible, following the E71/M3 north-easterly towards Miskok.
Hungarian Grand Prix: Hungaroring records
Legends of F1 have all made the Hungaroring a winning venue but one stands well clear of the rest in terms of success – seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
The circuit has also been known to throw up an intriguing race and none was more surprising a result than when Esteban Ocon won for Alpine in 2021, while Jenson Button got his first F1 victory for Honda here back in 2006.
Hungarian Grand Prix: Drivers with the most wins at the Hungaroring
- Lewis Hamilton – 8 wins [2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020]
- Michael Schumacher – 4 wins [1994, 1998, 2001, 2004]
- Ayrton Senna – 3 wins [1988, 1991, 1992]
- Nelson Piquet – 2 wins [1986, 1987]
- Damon Hill – 2 wins [1993, 1995]
- Jaques Villeneuve – 2 wins [1996, 1997]
- Mika Hakkinen – 2 wins [1999, 2000]
- Jenson Button – 2 wins [2006, 2011]
- Sebastian Vettel – 2 wins [2015, 2017]
- Max Verstappen – 2 wins [2022, 2023]
Hungarian Grand Prix: Teams with the most wins at the Hungaroring
- McLaren – 12 wins [1988, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2024]
- Williams – 7 wins [1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997]
- Ferrari – 7 wins [1989, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2015, 2017]
- Mercedes – 5 wins [2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020]
- Red Bull – 4 wins [2010, 2014, 2022, 2023]
Hungarian Grand Prix: Last 10 winners at the Hungaroring
- 2024 – Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- 2023 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- 2022 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- 2021 – Esteban Ocon, Alpine
- 2020 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- 2019 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- 2018 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- 2017 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
- 2016 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- 2015 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
Hungarian Grand Prix fastest lap
Unsurprisingly, given his monopoly over the circuit since 2007, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for both outright fastest lap and the race lap record, both while driving the 2020 Mercedes W11.
The qualifying lap for pole was clocked at just 1:13.447s, while his best lap in the race came in at 1:16.627s.
