Hungarian F1 journalist and author Károly Méhes looks back on some of his best memories from 40 years of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Our longtime contributor and friend Károly Méhes, who has worked at the Hungarian Grand Prix as a journalist for 37 of the past 40 years, remembers some of the best on-track action, incidents, drama and amusing anecdotes from the Hungaroring.
1986 Hungarian Grand Prix: Where it all began
Growing up in communist Hungary, the thought that we could have a Formula 1 race seemed impossible. But one person had a different idea. Bernie Ecclestone. After three years of negotiations, and with the assistance of his Hungarian-born friend, Tamás Rohonyi, Ecclestone made a contract with the authorities to hold the Grand Prix on the freshly built Hungaroring. And the rest is history. The highlight of the inaugural race was an audacious overtaking move by eventual winner Nelson Piquet on pole sitter Ayrton Senna.
Read More:
1987 Hungarian Grand Prix: Late-race drama
Nigel Mansell started from pole position for Williams and was on course for a commanding victory. But you can never take anything for granted in Formula 1 until the chequered flag flies. Five laps from the end, a wheelnut came loose on Mansell’s car and he had to part it on the grass, next to the bend which today bears his name.
1989 Hungarian Grand Prix: Redemption for Mansell
It would only be two years later that Mansell would taste redemption at the Hungaroring. For 1989, Mansell had switched to Ferrari. He’s already recorded his first win for the Scuderia in Brazil, but had also had his fair share of technical failures. He only qualified twelfth at the Hungaroring, a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult. Not for “Il Leone!” Mansell carved through the field to second behind Ayrton Senna, before snatching his opportunity to pass the more powerful McLaren when Senna hesitated for a moment whilst lapping the slower Onyx of Stefan Johannson. Mansell went on to win by 25 seconds.
1992 Hungarian Grand Prix: Mansell’s long wait is over
After near-misses in 1986, 1987 and 1991, the 1992 season belonged to Nigel Mansell. Driving the almighty Williams-Renault FW14, the British driver won nine out of the first ten races before the summer shutdown. With only six races remaining, Mansell was already able to clinch the title at the eleventh race in Hungary. And that’s exactly what he did. But not without drama! After suffering a puncture, Mansell had to make a second pitstop. The Briton was never in the hunt for victory – which went to Senna by 40 seconds – but crucially, his teammate and closest challenger, Ricardo Patrese, had retired, meaning that Mansell would become World Champion in Hungary.
Read More: Heartbreak & Triumph: Nigel Mansell on the Hungarian Grand Prix
1995 Hungarian Grand Prix: Unlucky Inoue
Japanese driver Taki Inoue is less well-remembered for his racing results at backmarker teams Simtek and Footwork in the mid-90s than for an unfortunate incident during the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix. After pulling off the track on lap 13 with engine failure in his Footwork, Inoue was hit by the safety car while retrieving a fire extinguisher! Thankfully, Inoue only suffered a bruised leg (not to mention a bruised ego) and was fit to drive for the next race. Watch the unfortunate incident unfold here.
1997 Hungarian Grand Prix: Heartbreak for Hill & Arrows
After winning the drivers’ title with Williams in 1996, Damon Hill found himself without a seat for the following year. Hill eventually accepted a drive with Tom Walkinshaw’s Arrows team, but the Yamaha-powered car was hardly a frontrunner. But in a massive change of fortune, Hill put his Arrows third on the grid for the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix. He passed Villeneuve and Schumacher early in the race, then went on to carve out a lead of 35 seconds. With the chequered flag almost in sight, the prospect of a maiden Formula 1 win for Arrows (which had been competing in Formula 1 for twenty seasons) disappeared with a heartbreaking hydraulic failure for Hill on the last lap. Villeneuve swept through to take the victory, with Hill having to settle for a still quite astonishing second place.
2001 Hungarian Grand Prix: Dominant Schumacher takes the title
On his way to becoming one of the most successful drivers of all time, Michael Schumacher enjoyed a special day at the 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix. Just like Mansell in 1992, it was not a question of if but when and where the German driver would seal the title for Ferrari. After another dominant performance, Schumacher led home his teammate Rubens Barichello for a 1-2, sealing his fourth World Championship.
2021 Hungarian Grand Prix: Crashes, a crazy restart and an unexpected winner
One of only four races in the history of the event to have been affected by rain, the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix was eventful from lap one! On a wet track, Valtteri Bottas locked up going into the first corner, taking out several drivers and resulting in the race being red flagged. When it got underway again, the rain had stopped and everyone with the exception of Lewis Hamilton decided to pit for slicks and start the race from pitlane. This left the bizarre sight of Lewis Hamilton taking the standing restart by himself! Hamilton pitted for slicks four laps later, handing the lead to Esteban Ocon for Alpine. The Frenchman held the lead to the end for a popular and very unexpected victory. Watch the race highlights here.
Read More: Six F1 Drivers Who Scored Their Maiden Win at the Hungarian Grand Prix
2023 Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando breaks the winner’s trophy
As with the majority of races during the 2023 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen took an easy victory at the Hungaroring, with Lando Norris and Sergio Perez rounding out the top three. The real excitement came during the podium ceremony! Whilst performing his trademark move with the champagne bottle (hitting it on the ground to achieve more fizz), Norris inadvertently knocked over Verstappen’s ornate porcelain winner’s trophy (made by the Hungarian company, Herendi), causing it to fall off the rostrum and break! Watch the drama unfold here. Norris was very apologetic, and Herendi presented Max with a replacement trophy ahead of the next race.
2025 Hungarian Grand Prix: New-look Hungaroring
The 40th consecutive edition of the race! To mark the occasion (and as part of a long-term agreement to modernize the ageing Hungaroring circuit and keep it on the calendar), an entirely new paddock building and main grandstand were constructed. Bernie Eccleston, the man who brought Formula 1 to Hungary, was the guest of honour.
Read More:
