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Hungary: Hungaroring Track Guide
By Phil Huff July 30 2008
The Hungaroring has been a regular fixture on the GP calendar since 1986 when it became the first Formula One event to take place in Eastern Europe. Until recently, the circuit layout had remained the same since 1989, when an unplanned kink around an underground spring was removed, shortening the track and making it the second shortest lap on the current F1 calendar.

The twisty layout, with modifications made in 2003, also makes this the slowest circuit bar Monaco, and three corners (the Turn 2 and 13 hairpins, plus the Turn 6/7 chicane) are all 90 km/h turns. The fastest corner is the relatively modest 170km/h left-hand kink at Turn 4.

Track temperature has a big influence on car set-up at the Hungaroring. If it’s relatively cool, as was the case in 2006, the overriding handling characteristic of a car is understeer; if it’s hot, it is oversteer. Invariably the weather has been hot during the race’s 22-year history, so the engineers will arrive at the track this week expecting oversteer and will seek ways of protecting the rear tyres during the 70-lap race.

Fuel consumption is low, despite the high downforce levels; each lap should see the RA107 use around 2kg of fuel, while the fuel effect (the extra time it takes to get round the circuit when heavier with fuel) is a significant 0.45s per 10kg of fuel.

If the ambient temperature exceeds 30 degrees, the track’s lack of straights and low average speed could make cooling a concern. However, the high temperatures experienced during testing last week at Jerez, a track with a similar layout to the Hungaroring, provided useful cooling data ahead of the race weekend.

The middle sector of the lap from Turn 4 through to the exit of Turn 11 gives the best indication of a car’s performance. The sector begins with a couple of slow corners, but ends with a very fast right-hander, which makes it hard to find a good balance. If a car’s quick through this sector, you can expect it to be quick around the whole lap.

Honda-powered drivers have taken victory in Hungary six times, Nelson Piquet taking the chequered flag in 1986 and 1987 and Ayrton Senna winning in 1988, 1991 and 1992. At last year's event, the Honda Racing F1 drivers lined up a disappointing 17th and 18th place on the grid, with Button being ahead of Barrichello. The race was equally disappointing, with Button retiring with throttle problems on lap 35, while Barrichello finished last.

The previous year, 2006, Jenson Button took victory from fourth on the grid in a rain affected race, acquiring both his and Honda Racing F1's first wins.

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