Hungaroring by numbers
Circuit length: 2.722 miles
Type of circuit: Purpose-built, permanent track Number of laps: 70
Lap record: 1m19.071s (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)
2007 pole time: 1m20.899s (Lewis Hamilton, McLaren)
Fastest corner: Turn 4, a fifth-gear, left-hander, 140 mph
Overtaking opportunities: Low. The tight and twisty track is often criticised for providing processional races. Downforce levels are similar to Monaco, the only real opportunity presents itself if a driver can get a tow down the pit straight and overtake into turn 1.
Usual weather: Hot and sunny weather is almost guaranteed at the Hungaroring. However, memories of the fantastic rain-affected race in 2006, offer a glimmer of hope that one year we might just get a repeat.
Chances of a first corner crash: Medium. The tight turn one was redesigned to encourage overtaking in 2003 and, while it hasn’t made much of a difference during the race, the start is now a close fought affair. In 2005 Christian Klien Red Bull barrel-rolled through the air after receiving a tag from Jacques Villeneuve’s Sauber.
Hungarian Grand Prix history
Venues: Hungaroring (1986-present)
Recent winners:
2008 - Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren)2007 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)2006 - Jenson Button (Honda)2005 - Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren)2004 - Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)2003 - Fernando Alonso (Renault)2002 - Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)2001 - Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)2000 - Mika Hakkinen (McLaren)1999 - Mika Hakkinen (McLaren)
Memorable Hungarian Grand Prix moments:
1986 - The first race behind the iron curtain produced one of the most memorable overtaking manoeuvres of the 1980s turbo era. The 200,000 strong crowds saw a fantastic battle unfold between Nelson Piquet’s Williams and Ayrton Senna’s Lotus. Piquet sealed the victory by taking Senna round the outside into turn one and holding a lurid oversteering slide through the apex to ensure the Lotus 98T had no comeback.
1989 - Nigel Mansell took one of his most accomplished victories at the Hungaroring in 1989, scything through from 12th on the grid in his Ferrari. He took the lead with a brilliantly opportunistic move in which he boxed Senna in behind the slower car of Stefan Johansson.
1990 - Thierry Boutsen gave a masterclass on how to win at the Hungaroring, defending first place throughout the race in an inferior car. The Belgian Williams driver had a faultless race, while a queue of faster cars squabbled for position behind him. After two major incidents - one where Senna took Alesandro Nanini out and another where Gerhard Berger and Mansell took each other out - Senna’s McLaren became the only threat to Boutsen’s lead. But the Belgian kept his head and held off Senna right to the flag, winning by just 0.3s.
1997 - Having been ousted from Williams as world champion in 1997, Damon Hill was delivered a cruel twist of fate at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Driving the unfancied Arrows, Hill surprised everyone as he qualified third and after nine laps passed Schumacher for the lead. In the closing stages Hill had a 30 second advantage over his ex-team-mate at Williams, Jacques Villeneuve. Everything looked set for a great underdog victory, but Hill’s lap times dropped dramatically in the final laps allowing Villeneuve to close in. With just half a lap remaining, the Williams passed the labouring Arrows with ease and took the win. After the race Hill’s problem was diagnosed as a throttle linkage failure, caused by a broken washer worth 50 pence.
1998 - It was a race that typified the strategic cunning of Ross Brawn and the sheer brilliance of Michael Schumacher. The McLarens of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard looked set to walk the race having locked out the front row in qualifying - setting times half a second faster than Schumacher. But as the window for the second pit stops came around, Brawn decided to shake up the order and short-fuelled Schumacher to get him ahead of the McLarens. It worked perfectly. From that point on it was down to the German to make the difference. He did just that, building up a big enough lead to allow him to pit for a third time and stay ahead of Hakkinen through to the flag.
2006 - An unexpected rain shower turned what is usually a mundane affair into the race of the season. The Hungaroring opened up to overtaking, with Jenson Button coming through from 14th on the grid to take the win. Fernando Alonso had looked on for victory midway through the race, but just after his one and only pit stop a loose wheel nut forced him into retirement. Elsewhere in the field Michael Schumacher got involved in scrapes with the Michelin-shod cars of Pedro de la Rosa and Nick Heidfeld. The seven-time world champion struggled on his shot Bridgestone intermediates and finally retired after clashing with Heidfeld’s BMW.
Drivers with a reason to love the Hungaroring...
Jenson Button – After six and a half seasons of Formula 1 ups and downs, the Hungaroring was the scene of his long-awaited first win 2006. Button's performance at the rain-affected race, in which he started 14th, is considered by many to be one greatest wet weather drives of all time.Nick Heidfeld – A regular podium finisher in the recent past, claiming BMW Sauber’s first rostrum position (third) in 2006 and then repeating the finish 12 months later. He also won here in F3000 in 1998 on his way to second place in that year’s championship.
Heikki Kovalainen – Extremely fortunate though it may have been (long-time race leader Felipe Massa’s Ferrari engine having blown up with three laps remaining), Kovalainen, like Button, will always hold the Hungaroring in a special place in his heart as the scene of his first (and so far only) F1 win. The year before, in his debut season, the Finn also finished in the points.
Felipe Massa – In bare statistical terms Massa’s Hungaroring record doesn’t make pleasant reading – the Brazilian has claimed just two points from six appearances. However, last year he looked set to turn that around with a brilliant drive from third on the grid only for his Ferrari V8 to cruelly let go while just three laps from victory.
Giancarlo Fisichella - The Hungaroring has not been a happy hunting ground for the Italian. He has failed to reach the finish line on six out of 11 attempts, notching up just two Hungarian Grand Prix points to his name.
Fernando Alonso - The Spaniard is undoubtedly quick around the Hungaroring scoring his first win here in 2003, but in his title-challenging years was plagued by bad luck and controversy. Grid penalties, loose wheel nuts and broken front wings have all conspired against Alonso here – not to mention the beginning of the end of his McLaren career in '07 when he blocked team-mate and title rival Hamilton in the pit lane during qualifying.
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