Everything you need to know about the Hungarian Grand Prix

Hungarian Grand Prix

Do you who is the only Hungarian to have started the Hungarian Grand Prix? Do you know when the first Hungarian Grand Prix was held or who has participated and won the most in Hungary? For all this information and so much more, just read on.

Circuit: Hungaroring

Circuit length: 4.381 km

Number of corners: 14 (6 left, 8 right)

DRS zones: 2

Race laps: 70

Race distance: 306.63 km

2014 tyre compounds: Soft, Medium

Circuit lap record: 1m 19.071s - Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004

About the Circuit

Since staging its first Grand Prix Ever in 1986, the Hungarian Grand Prix has been an ever-present in the Formula One calendar. Situated 19 kms from the centre of Budapest, on the border of the village, Mogyoród, the track is easily accessible. The Grand Prix is usually held in the middle of summer, when the climate is hot and dry and 2006 was the first occasion of there being a wet Grand Prix. Underused throughout the rest of the year, the circuit is one that gets progressively faster in qualifying, forcing many drivers to start their flying lap as late as possible in order to claim pole position.

The location of the track is anything but picturesque as the circuit is in a valley, of which 80 percent of it can be seen from any point. While most under-used circuits get better when rubbered up, the dusty nature of the Hungaroring makes that impossible. And the twisty and bumpy nature of the track, coupled with the hot and dry conditions make it difficult to overtake. However, it is one of the safest tracks in the world and that is one of the reasons why so many drivers seem to love it.

Trivia

- There have been 28 Hungarian Grand Prix held so far, all of which have been held at the Hungaroring.

- 13 of the 28 races (46%) held in Hungaroring have been won from pole position, but only four of the last ten have been won from pole.

- In the current field, Jenson Button (14) has made the most appearances on this track, whilst Fernando Alonso is second with 12 appearances; Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa have both started 11 times.

- Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton hold the record for the most wins on this track with four and only three others in the current field having won it.

- Kimi Raikkonen has the most podium finishes with seven, while both Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have four.

- McLaren has the most pole positions on this track (8), but it is Michael Schumacher who leads the drivers, with 7 pole positions.

- McLaren also have the most wins with 12, while Williams have 7.

- The lowest grid position from which a driver has won the race is 14th. Honda’s Jenson Button achieved that after he won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix .

- Amongst the current field, Lewis Hamilton has led 277 laps on this track, while Fernando Alonso with 114 is a distant second having led less than half of what Hamilton has managed.

- Just two of the last ten races have had at least a single safety car appearance.

- The inaugural Hungarian Grand Prix was won by Nelson Piquet of Williams in 1986.

- Only one Hungarian driver has started the Hungarian Grand Prix and that honour goes to Zsolt Baumgartner.

- Lewis Hamilton has led for at least one lap in every Hungarian Grand Prix he has contested in, except 2010 when he retired with a transmission failure.

- Ferrari have now gone 77 consecutive races in the points, which is the longest run in F1 history.

- Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg have 13 and 12 consecutive points finishes respectively and are the only two drivers to have finished in the points in every race in 2014.

- Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas come into this race on the back of three consecutive podium finishes.

- If a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it’ll be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix.

- Should Mercedes win on Sunday, it would move them level with Tyrrell in ninth in the all-time list of wins, with 23.