The Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary has officially opened, with organisers setting big targets for international motorsport. Labelled as "the highest FIA standard race track to be built in Central Europe for over 15 years", the venue is situated next to Balaton Lake, which is situated 87 kilometres to the South-West of Budapest. The 16-turn, anti-clockwise track has been launched with a FIA Grade 2 licence, which allows it to host the majority of FIA circuit motorsport categories except for Formula 1. The circuit owners confirmed that the venue had been built to FIA Grade 1 standards, including with the capability of increasing the crowd capacity to up to 120,000, allowing them to apply for the highest-level licence. The current Hungarian Grand Prix - which takes place at the Hungaroring in Budapest - contract runs until 2027, with the venue recently announcing upgrades to improve the facilities and add MotoGP to it's list of events. The first event to be held at the circuit will be a two-week driving programme “Porsche on Track”, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Porsche sports cars, which will be followed by a one-day event called the “Festival of Dreams” on the 10th June.
Three-time Formula 1 race winner Giancarlo Fisichella attended the launch, and described how the track would be conducive to "great racing". “Driving Balaton Park Circuit for the first time, I was impressed by its character," said Fisichella. "The track really has it all – a thrilling blend of high-speed corners, challenging hairpins and cool chicanes. It’s a track that flows nicely, giving you a great racing feeling. "The first corner and the end of the back straight are prime spots for overtakes. All in all, Balaton Park is a treat to drive.” Do you like the layout of the new Balaton Park Circuit? Take a look at the track map and leave your thoughts below!
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