Formula 1 at the Hungaroring: entering the Grand Prix weekend before the first practice session
Formula 1 at the Hungaroring begins for spectators even before the cars head out for the first free practice session. The one-day programme on 23 July opens with entry through Gate 7 from 13:30, and from 14:00 it offers the High Speed Test, activities in the Fan Zone, interviews with drivers from the support series and, for holders of the appropriate ticket and wristband, the Pit Lane Walk.
It is important to distinguish Thursday from the main programme. This one-day ticket applies to the High Speed Test and the Fan Zone, not to the Formula 1 race itself. Practice sessions begin on Friday, qualifying takes place on Saturday, and the Grand Prix is on Sunday. Thursday's programme lasts until 19:30, with the venue closing at 20:00.
Tickets for this event are in demand. The ticket type should be checked particularly carefully because access to the Pit Lane Walk is not included in every version of the Thursday programme.
What is happening on the track and in the Fan Zone
The central sporting part of Thursday is the high-speed test of the FIA Safety Car and Medical Car, scheduled from 14:00 to 16:00. The test can be watched from the Hungaroring Grandstand. Although it is not a competitive session, the test demonstrates how narrow, rhythmic and demanding the Hungaroring is.
The programme on the main stage begins with a DJ set, games and quizzes. From 15:00 to 16:00, interviews are scheduled with drivers from Formula 2, Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup. These are followed by interviews with Hungarian motorsport drivers, the F1 Reflex Challenge, the Ikaros Challenge and additional entertainment. The Fan Zone is set to feature Formula 1 activities, a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, an XXL Giant Swing, dancers, street performers and the mascot Rory.
The most important confirmed points of Thursday's schedule are:
- entry through Gate 7 from 13:30
- Fan Zone and on-site programme from 14:00 to 19:30
- high-speed test of the FIA Safety Car and Medical Car from 14:00 to 16:00
- gathering for the Pit Lane Walk at 16:15
- Pit Lane Walk until approximately 19:00, only for holders of the appropriate wristband
- venue closes at 20:00
For the Pit Lane Walk, visitors with a High Speed Test ticket receive a wristband upon entry after presenting that ticket and a Formula 1 weekend ticket. The gathering point is next to the Blue Fan Zone Stage, and the group is led towards the pit lane via Turn 14 and exits into the Yellow Fan Zone. The schedule may change, so it is worth arriving early and following announcements at the venue.
Why the Hungaroring is different from most circuits
The Hungaroring is a 4.381-kilometre motor-racing circuit with 14 turns and very short intervals for respite. The Formula 1 race is run over 70 laps, or slightly more than 306 kilometres. The configuration is often compared with a karting circuit: only the start-finish straight is genuinely long, while the rest of the lap consists of an uninterrupted sequence of direction changes.
Teams seek a high level of aerodynamic downforce, stability under braking and good traction when exiting slower turns. A mistake in one turn can easily carry over into the next two or three.
Turn 1 is the main overtaking point. There are around 440 metres from pole position to the braking zone, enough for a slipstream battle after the start. The second serious opportunity comes at Turn 2, where different lines make it possible to defend on the inside or the outside. After that, overtaking becomes significantly more difficult. Drivers therefore begin preparing an attack as early as the exit of Turn 14 in order to achieve the highest possible speed on the main straight.
The middle sector rewards precision. The fast Turn 4, the change of rhythm towards Turns 6 and 7, and the sequence of connected turns leave little room for corrections. In the final sector, the rear tyres may already be overheating, so the battle for grip continues all the way to the long final turn.
New surface, softer tyres and strategy
The Hungaroring has undergone extensive renovation of the paddock, hospitality areas, circuit and grandstands. For the 2026 edition, the surface at Turns 1 and 12 has been renewed, following earlier work on the pit lane and starting area. A new surface at certain points can alter the level of grip and the behaviour of the cars under braking, particularly while a layer of rubber is only beginning to build up on the asphalt during the weekend.
Pirelli has selected the C3, C4 and C5 compounds. The Hungaroring does not impose the extreme loads of an individual turn found at some faster circuits, but the forces are repeated very frequently because of the short lap. The rear tyres suffer particularly when accelerating out of slower turns. A high track temperature can increase thermal degradation and bring a one-stop strategy closer to a two-stop strategy.
Track position remains crucial. An additional stop can provide faster tyres, but returning behind a slower car often cancels out the calculation because overtaking is limited to only a few zones. That is why qualifying at the Hungaroring carries almost the same psychological weight as the race itself.
The forecast for Thursday currently indicates partly sunny weather and a daytime temperature of around 26 degrees. Warmer weather is expected for the weekend, with temperatures reaching approximately 29 degrees. Such conditions increase the importance of tyre management.
Who arrives in Budapest in the best form
Kimi Antonelli arrives as the championship leader with 204 points and as the winner of the previous race at Spa-Francorchamps. He also won in China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco. Mercedes leads the constructors' standings, so attention will focus on whether the team can transfer its speed from Spa to a slower and technically completely different configuration.
Lewis Hamilton is second in the standings with 159 points, and George Russell is third with 154. Hamilton has eight victories at the Hungaroring, more than any other driver, while Russell secured his first Formula 1 pole position here in 2022. Charles Leclerc comes into the event with a victory in Great Britain and second place in Belgium.
The McLaren pairing is particularly interesting because of last year's race. Lando Norris beat Oscar Piastri by only 0.698 seconds after a duel in which different strategies brought the teammates into a direct fight during the closing laps. Norris is currently fifth, Piastri sixth, and Max Verstappen seventh, only one point behind Piastri, after finishing third in Belgium.
Antonelli has the best current run, Hamilton the historical record, Russell consistency, Leclerc a fresh victory, McLaren last year's result, and Verstappen a proven ability to attack. The true balance of power will become clearer after Friday's practice sessions.
Competitive weekend schedule
After Thursday's programme, Formula 1 takes to the track on Friday. The first free practice session is scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30, and the second from 15:00 to 16:00 local time. The third practice session on Saturday runs from 10:30 to 11:30, while qualifying takes place from 14:00 to 15:00. The race begins on Sunday at 13:00.
Friday gives the teams two sessions to assess the new surface, tyre wear and longer stints. Saturday's practice session is used for the final adjustments, while qualifying shifts the focus to one perfect lap. The start on Sunday then brings the first major moment of tension: the 440 metres to the braking point for Turn 1 are long enough for the order to change within the first few seconds.
Places are disappearing quickly. Visitors planning to attend the competitive days as well should check whether their ticket covers Thursday, an individual day of the weekend or the entire Grand Prix programme.
The view from the grandstands and the experience of speed
The Hungaroring lies in a natural valley, so certain grandstands along the main straight provide a view of several parts of the lap. For watching the start, pit stops and the main overtaking zone, the most interesting positions are along the start-finish straight and on the approach to Turn 1. A view towards Turn 2 adds the possibility of following battles after the first braking zone.
Thursday's High Speed Test is watched from the Hungaroring Grandstand, where it is easy to follow the line of a single vehicle and the braking point. The Pit Lane Walk offers a different perspective, focused on the garages, equipment and teams' working areas.
Noise remains an important part of the experience. Visitors with children should bear in mind that the organiser warns of high noise levels and recommends hearing protection.
Getting to Mogyoród and returning after the programme
The Hungaroring is located at 2146 Mogyoród, Hungaroring út 10, about 20 kilometres from the centre of Budapest. Budapest is a practical base, but Thursday's transport does not operate in the same way as transport from Friday to Sunday.
For 23 July, the following practical points apply:
- cars may use the free P2 car park, subject to availability
- Volánbusz operates on Thursday and stops at the main entrance
- approximately 15 minutes of walking should be allowed from the main entrance to Gate 7
- the final return Volánbusz departs at 18:20, before the programme ends
- it is approximately a 30-minute walk from Szilasliget HÉV station to Gate 7
- additional transport for the Grand Prix weekend does not operate on Thursday
The most important detail is the time of the final bus. The programme lasts until 19:30, so visitors who want to remain until the end must arrange another return option in advance. Travelling by car should also be planned with extra time because traffic around the circuit changes according to police instructions and road congestion.
What to bring and which rules apply at the entrance
For personal belongings, a bag of up to 20 litres is permitted, and a camera and its accessories must fit within that limit. Small folding umbrellas are permitted, but they may not be used in the grandstands if they obstruct the view. Parasols, coolers and portable chairs are not permitted.
Each visitor may bring in up to one litre of drink and up to three sandwiches or a comparable amount of food. Free drinking water is available at the venue. Bank cards and Festipay cards are accepted at food and drink outlets. The Hungaroring has no storage facility for large suitcases, which is important for travellers arriving directly from the airport or railway station.
It is useful to bring:
- the ticket available on a phone and a backup copy
- sun protection and light clothing
- a folding raincoat if the forecast changes
- hearing protection, especially for children
- a fully charged portable battery for the phone
- a return plan after 18:20 if staying until the end
It is worth securing tickets in good time and checking the exact ticket name before arrival. The High Speed Test, the Fan Zone and the Pit Lane Walk do not provide the same access rights, and a one-day Thursday ticket does not replace a ticket for practice sessions, qualifying or Sunday's race.
Forty years of racing at the same location
The first Grand Prix at the Hungaroring was held in 1986, and Nelson Piquet won after his famous manoeuvre against Ayrton Senna. Since then, the race has remained at the same location without interruption, and the 2026 edition is the 41st Hungarian Grand Prix and marks 40 years since Formula 1 first appeared at the circuit.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record with eight victories, while McLaren is the most successful constructor at the Hungaroring with 13 victories. The circuit has also been the site of first Grand Prix victories for several drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Oscar Piastri. The Hungaroring often rewards precise strategy, good track position and a driver's ability to preserve the tyres while keeping a faster car behind.
Thursday's programme is therefore more than a festival addition. The Safety Car and Medical Car demonstrate the operational side of the event, interviews with drivers from the support series offer a view of the next generation, and the Pit Lane Walk brings visitors closer to the area that will become the centre of strategic decisions several days later.
Sources:
- Hungaroring - schedule of the High Speed Test, Fan Zone and Pit Lane Walk, entry through Gate 7 and information about Thursday transport
- Formula 1 - Grand Prix weekend schedule, circuit length, number of laps, circuit history and current drivers' and teams' standings
- Pirelli Motorsport - track-surface condition, selection of the C3, C4 and C5 compounds, expected degradation and historical race statistics
- Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team - technical characteristics of the start, historical results and key facts about the Hungaroring
- Weather forecast for Mogyoród - expected temperatures and conditions during Thursday and the Grand Prix weekend