Hungarian Grand Prix

Hungaroring

How to get there

The Hungaroring circuit is in the village of Mogyrod, a few miles outside of Budapest. Direct flights are available from the UK, or alternatively it is perfectly possible to drive, although it is best to allow a couple of days for the journey across Belgium, Germany and Austria.

Where to stay

We've met people - mostly Finnish - who stay in local B&Bs in the nearby villages, but Budapest is the obvious place to stay. There are a fair number of western style hotels, but some of the older, local ones can be reminder of life under the previous, communist regime.

What else to do

Budapest has some great architecture and is one of Europe's more cultural cities. Visit Heroes Square, take a cruise on the Danube and climb up to the castle on the Pest side of the city. Use the metro for getting around and about the city and it's immediate area. Outside of the city, the scenery is good but facilities are otherwise limited.

Transport to the circuit

It's not a long way by road from Budapest, although traffic is an issue, particularly when leaving. Buses are cheap, but crowded. The hotel should be able to get you a taxi, but negotiate the price first. Alternatively, there is a stop on the metro system about 20mins walk from the track.

Which grandstand

The Hungaroring is a smallish circuit set in a natural bowl, so good views can be had from a number of locations, including the back part of the main pit straight. Most grandstands are open, and it is usually hot so take the necessary precautions.

Circuit facilities

There isn't much merchandising, and other facilities are limited and concentrated on the area behind the pitstraight. Beer, ice-cream and sandwiches are about all that is to be had, although on the plus side there are plenty of serving points and no need to queue for long.