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The Hungaroring is a motorsport racetrack in Mogyoród, Pest County, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend recommended Budapest. They wanted a street circuit similar to the Circuit de Monaco to be built in the Népliget – Budapest's largest park – but the government decided to build a new circuit just outside the city near a major highway. Construction works started on 1 October 1985. It was built in eight months, less time than any other Formula One circuit. The first race was held on 24 March 1986, in memory of János Drapál, the first Hungarian who won motorcycle Grand Prix races.
According to a survey put together by the national tourism office of Hungary, Mogyoród ranks third among Hungarian destinations visited by tourists, behind the Danube Bend area and Lake Balaton, but ahead of Budapest. The circuit has FIA Grade 1 license.
Normally, an underused circuit becomes faster over the weekend as the track surface gathers more rubber residue; however, with the Hungaroring this generally does not happen, because the track can get dusty so quickly. The track frequently becomes faster during a qualifying session, which leads competitors to try for their best lap as late as possible.
The twisty and bumpy nature of the circuit makes overtaking very difficult in dry conditions, the circuit is nicknamed "Monaco without the barriers" for this reason. Nonetheless, the Hungaroring has been the scene of several memorable races such as the duels of Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell's win from 12th on the grid after a dramatic pass on Ayrton Senna in 1989, Damon Hill's almost victory with Arrows in 1997, and Michael Schumacher's change in strategy to beat the McLarens of Häkkinen and David Coulthard in 1998. More recently, it has seen events such as Jenson Button triumphing over Fernando Alonso in the wet in 2006, Daniel Ricciardo scything through the field from sixth on the grid in 2014, Lewis Hamilton's late overtake on Max Verstappen to take the win in 2019, and Alonso producing a defensive masterclass to deny Hamilton a chance of victory in 2021. Maiden wins at the track include Hill in 1993, Alonso in 2003, Button in 2006, Heikki Kovalainen in 2008, Esteban Ocon in 2021, and Oscar Piastri in 2024.
The first change in the track's layout was carried out in 1989, when the chicane after the actual turn three (a temporary measure put in during construction due to the discovery of a spring where the direct route was due to run) was removed by culverting the stream. In 2003, the main straight (turn one, see diagram) was lengthened by roughly to , and the hairpin at the end of the straight was also tightened in an attempt to facilitate more overtaking opportunities, as well as a tightening of what was turn 12. These changes lengthened the circuit length from .
Both Hungary's Zsolt Baumgartner and Poland's Robert Kubica made their debut on this track as the first F1 drivers of their countries.
The 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first wet grand prix at the Hungaroring. This saw the retirement of many drivers including championship rivals Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher and gave Jenson Button and the reborn Honda F1 team their first win. Fernando Alonso also earned his first Grand Prix victory at this in 2003, declaring it his favourite track as a result.
According to statements and interviews, drivers have different opinions on the track. While many, like Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso claimed to love it, many others consider the track too slow, hot and demanding. The technical driving center of the Hungaroring held former racer Gerhard Berger's name from 1998 until 2005 but later it was changed to Allianz.
The track also has named curves: Turn 4 is named after Nigel Mansell, due to him losing a wheel there during the 1987 Hungarian Grand Prix. Turn 11 is named after Jean Alesi following his massive crash there during qualifying for the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix.
On Saturday, 25 July 2009, in the second round of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring, Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa's head was injured, though protected by his driver's helmet, he was struck by a suspension spring that had fallen from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car while driving at high speed. He was knocked unconscious, and subsequently crashed head-on into a tyre barrier. Massa was thereafter airlifted to the military hospital in Budapest, where he underwent surgery in the area surrounding his left eye. His condition was initially described as "life-threatening but stable", but improved rapidly. Massa was discharged from hospital the following week and returned to Brazil. After further tests it was decided that Massa needed a titanium plate inserted into his skull to strengthen it for racing in Formula One again.
The contract is prolonged until 2032, although profits from tobacco advertising have been cut from the equation since such advertising was banned in 2007.
The Hungaroring is the home of Hungarian motorsport. Besides Formula One, it has also hosted the DTM and FIA GT Championship races. Since 2011, it also hosts the races of WTCC and WTCR as FIA WTCC Race of Hungary, a public drag race event takes place every month.
| 2007 Hungaroring GP2 round |
| 2017 Hungaroring F2 round |
| 2016 Hungaroring Formula V8 round |
| 2017 Hungaroring GP3 round |
| 2012 Hungaroring Auto GP round |
| 2016 Hungaroring F3 European Championship round |
| 2020 Hungaroring FIA F3 round |
| 2021 Hungaroring Euroformula Open round |
| 2010 1000 km of Hungaroring |
| 2010 1000 km of Hungaroring |
| 2017 Hungaroring DTM round |
| 2003 Hungaroring F3000 round |
| 2012 Hungaroring FTwo round |
| 2025 Hungaroring GB3 round |
| 2009 Hungaroring Formula Master round |
| 2025 Hungaroring FREC round |
| 2017 Hungaroring Formula Renault Eurocup round |
| 2013 3 Hours of Hungaroring |
| 2016 Hungaroring Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup round |
| 2015 Hungaroring Renault Sport Trophy round |
| 2006 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 2012 Hungaroring Formula Abarth round |
| 2019 Hungaroring Italian F4 round |
| 2013 3 Hours of Hungaroring |
| 2025 Hungaroring Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux round |
| 2022 Hungaroring Ferrari Challenge round |
| 2015 Hungaroring IDM Superbike round |
| 2009 Budapest City Challenge |
| 2019 Hungaroring GT Cup Open Europe round |
| 2012 Hungaroring Eurocup Mégane Trophy round |
| 2014 FIA WTCC Race of Hungary |
| 2019 Hungaroring GT Cup Open Europe round |
| 2008 Hungaroring Formula BMW Europe round |
| 2015 Hungaroring French F4 round |
| 2006 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 2015 Hungaroring IDM Supersport round |
| 2022 FIA WTCR Race of Hungary |
| 2012 Hungaroring Superstars Series round |
| 2014 FIA WTCC Race of Hungary |
| 2015 Hungaroring ETC round |
| 2021 Hungaroring Pure ETCR round |
| 2021 Hungaroring FIA CEZ Endurance Championship Series round |
| 2015 Hungaroring ETC round |
| 2021 Hungaroring ETRC round |
| 2002 Hungaroring F3000 round |
| Interserie |
| 1998 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 2001 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 1999 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 2001 Hungaroring Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup round |
| 2001 Hungaroring ESTC round |
| 2001 FIA GT Budapest 500km |
| 1990 Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix |
| 1992 Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix |
| 2002 Hungaroring Porsche Supercup round |
| 1990 Hungaroring World SBK round |
| 1992 Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Interserie |
| 1988 Hungaroring German F3 round |
| 1988 Hungaroring World SBK round |
| 1988 Hungaroring DTM round |
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