Hungarian Grand Prix

A street circuit in a field

Tight, twisty, undulating, and almost overtake-free — Hungary is a track-position race. There’s no long straight, the braking zones are short, and the corners flow into each other. It’s frequently described as “Monaco without the walls” — same emphasis on qualifying, less risk of ending the weekend after Turn 1.

Why it matters

The Hungaroring was the first F1 race held behind the Iron Curtain, in 1986. Since then it’s been a fixture of the European summer calendar — usually the last race before the summer break, traditionally hot, almost always run in 30°C+ heat, which compounds tyre wear.

What to watch for

• Turn 1 — the only real overtaking opportunity. Lap one chaos is common.
• The infield section (Turns 4–11) — flowing corners that punish a small mistake with two-second lap losses.
• Strategy gambles — Ocon’s only F1 win came here in 2021 in mixed conditions. Underdog wins happen at Hungary.