Hungarian GP

F1 Hungarian Grand Prix 2021

Since making its first appearance on the F1 calendar back in 1986, the Hungarian GP has been a mainstay in the World Championship.

Monaco without walls is just one of the nicknames given to the 4.381km track that demands a high-downforce package in order to cope with a myriad of sharp corners and hairpins. Work began on the purpose-built facility in 1985, and it hosted its first F1 race less than a year later when Nelson Piquet overtook Ayrton Senna around the outside of Turn 1 to snatch victory.

With just one straight, overtaking can be difficult, so strategy often plays a vital role in determining the outcome. This was highlighted in 2019 when Mercedes took the bold decision to two-stop Hamilton, with the Brit going on to pass Max Verstappen in the closing stages for the win.

History

The first Hungarian GP dates back to June 21, 1936 and was run on the over 5km track laid out in the Budapest park of Nepliget. Although fans flocked the race with Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union and Alfa-Romeo equipped Ferrari teams all sending three cars, politics and the Second World War meant that motor racing in the country took a backseat.

The Hungarian Grand Prix 2020

The successfully rearranged 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix began in damp conditions, which caused Verstappen to crash before the race got underway. Hamilton led off the line and would complete a fairly serene victory, while Valterri Bottas made an awful start, falling from second to sixth and allowing Verstappen to snatch second after the Red Bull mechanics repaired his damaged car on the grid.

The Finn would recover well to beat Stroll into third while elsewhere, Haas’ alternative strategy paid dividends as Magnussen finished 10th despite receiving a post-race penalty.

F1 heads to the Hungaroring

The Hungarian GP was added to the F1 calendar in 1986, becoming the first race to take place behind the Iron Curtain. Located in Mogyorod near Budapest, the twisty track has remained on the F1 calendar since then.

Around 200,000 fans were in attendance for the first race despite high ticket prices, with William's Nelson Piquet battling it out with Lotus' Ayrton Senna. The Williams driver managed to find his way past at Turn 1, keeping his car on track despite opposite lock for one of the most famous passes in F1 history.

The narrow and twisty features of the track have often resulted in processional races, something which isn't helped by the often dusty track conditions. Thierry Boutsen managed to take the chequered flag in 1990 in his slower Williams car as Senna couldn't find a way past in his faster McLaren.

As a result strategy often plays into who comes out on top in Hungary with Michael Schumacher's win for Ferrari in 1998 a prime example. The German started the race 12 points back of Mika Hakkinen and needed a strong result to keep his championship challenge alive. The two McLaren's started on the front row, putting Schumacher at an immediate disadvantage due to how difficult it is to pass around the Hungaroring

Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn opted to change strategies, with Schumacher switching to a three-stop. The move hinged on the German pulling out 25 seconds from 19 laps, a feat he pulled off in stunning fashion to take the chequered flag in stunning fashion.

The Hungarian GP is also known for the high number of drivers that scored their first career wins at the track. That list includes Damon Hill in 1993, Fernando Alonso in 2003, Jenson Button in 2006 in what was the first Hungarian GP held in wet conditions, Heikki Kovalainen in 2008 and Esteban Ocon in 2021.

Hill almost took his third win at the track in 1998 with the inferior Arrows-Yamaha, however his car lost drive on the final lap as he settled for second behind Villeneuve. The 2001 race is famous as Schumacher took the chequered flag, equalling Alain Prost's then record of 51 Grand Prix victories.

The Hungaroring was resurfaced for the first time in 2016, while the Grand Prix will be held at the venue until 2027.

Most successful F1 drivers and teams

Lewis Hamilton is the undisputed leader when it comes to Hungarian GP winners, taking the chequered flag on eight occasions. That's double the amount of wins Michael Schumacher has, while Ayrton Senna is the only three-time winner of the event.

As far as Constructors goes, McLaren have won the Hungarian GP 11 times though their last win dates back to 12. Williams and Ferrari sit on seven, two more than Mercedes.

When is the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix on the F1 calendar?

The Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 30-August 1 and is provisionally set to be the 11th race of the Formula 1 season. The first two free practice sessions will take place on July 30, with qualifying on Saturday, July 31 at 15:00 CET.

What time does the Hungarian Grand Prix start?

The Hungarian Grand Prix starts on Sunday, August 1 at 15:00 CET. The race can be followed live on RacingNews365’s blog and watched on F1 TV.