How Formula 1 came to Budapest

It was exactly forty years ago, on September 10, 1985, that the contract allowing Hungary to host a Formula 1 race was signed in London. The papers didn't report this on their front pages the next day, and even two days after the signing there was no mention of this historic news anywhere in Hungary. If one looks up the papers from those days, it seems almost grotesque in retrospect, but it was pure common sense that dictated this course of action at the time.

The two contracting parties wanted to announce the new venue, located in a country belonging to the socialist camp at the same exact time. Bernie Ecclestone, president of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) chose the Belgian Grand Prix and its venue at Spa-Francorchamps at 10 a.m. on Friday for the announcement, and it fell on Tibor Balogh, secretary general of the Hungarian Automobile Club to announce the news in Budapest. The two parties had already agreed on the most important details at the race in Monza on September 8, which was followed by the paperwork and two days later by the signing in England.

The most important element of Ecclestone's plan was to also have a race behind the Iron Curtain so that the drivers and the cars would become known in an even broader market. His initial idea was to go to Moscow, but after visiting there and holding several negotiations, he lost interest, as he found the city too big and gray. Since his girlfriend at the time, Slavica Radić, was Croatian, the area around Rijeka in what was then Yugoslavia was also considered as a possible venue, but in the end, he decided against it.

It was then that his good friend Tamás Rohonyi, who had lived in Brazil in the 1970s recommended Hungary to him. Rohonyi, who had played a major role in the running of the Brazilian Grand Prix and who later went on to become its race director, was in regular and active contact with the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about what hosting such an event entailed.

In the end, it was on 14 September that Hungarian papers reported that

Hungary would be the first socialist country to join the biggest motorsport series. To this day, not one EU member state from the former Eastern Bloc has expressed interest in hosting even a single race.

In its report, Népsport wrote the following: “There will be five Formula 1 races held in Budapest between 1985 and 1990. A business association was formed for the purpose of constructing the track and organizing the race, with the participation of the Hungarian Automobile Club, the Asphalt Road Construction Company, Cooptourist, IBUSZ, and Volán Tefu. The association is currently in negotiations with the State Development Bank about obtaining investment funds. The race track will be located near Budapest, 13 km from the city center, in the Mogyoród and Kerepestarcsa area, next to the M3 motorway. It will have 15 turns, eight to the right and seven to the left. The smallest one will have a radius of 40 meters. The race track will be 3,895 meters long.”

At that time, the date of the race was still uncertain, but they did announce that it would likely take place sometime in August. The uncertainty was caused by the fact that a prestigious medical conference was to be held in Budapest in the second half of that month in the following year, with 7,000-10,000 cancer researchers expected to attend, and the country's and the city's leaders decided that Budapest’s hotels would not be able to simultaneously serve both events.

They anticipated considerable interest from abroad and, of course, believed that this investment would certainly pay off in the long term. Foreigners were offered tickets for $50 from Friday to Sunday – one dollar was worth roughly 50 forints at the time – while Hungarians had to pay 600 forints for a three-day pass. The race was finally scheduled for August 10. At that time, there were only 16 races a year, but by now, that number has increased to 24.

Mogyoród was only one of many potential locations

The idea of hosting the Hungarian Grand Prix had been floated several times in various ministries before. In 1984, there was a somewhat unfounded rumor that the track would be built in Budapest's Városliget, although there were serious plans and even a blueprint for the track:

As can be seen, the finish line would have been on Dózsa György út, with the first turn at the Palace of Arts, then passing Heroes' Square on the left, the cars would have driven past the Zoo and the Amusement Park, and would have circled around the City Park before turning back onto Dózsa György Road.

These plans were eventually abandoned. The second location considered was Népliget, where they had previously held car races in the 1930s, but this was also deemed unsuitable, primarily due to environmental considerations. And Ecclestone rejected the idea of a track next to Lake Velence, in Nadap.

It was after this that Mogyoród and Szilasliget were suggested as suitable locations, and the local agricultural cooperative was happy to sell their land. Ecclestone also liked the location, especially because of its proximity to the capital, which had fascinated him every time he had visited before.

Construction began in October 1985, and the socialist corporations worked at such a pace that the János Drapál Memorial Race could already be held at the new track: The Hungarian motor racer died in August 1985 while racing in Czechoslovakia, and Hungaroring was inaugurated on March 24, 1986, with a race held in his honor.

The Hungarian leaders were rather worried about winter – Tibor Balogh actually said that if the winter of 1985 was as harsh as the previous one, it would affect their plans for the race negatively, and there would for sure be delays. And without test drives, organizing a race would be much more complicated – if it were allowed at all. Nature eventually had mercy on them, and winter was not too harsh that year, so the track was completed in record time.

Beyond the symbolic choice of location, Ecclestone hoped to generate significant revenue from the Hungarian race being broadcast in socialist countries, which could potentially attract up to 350 million new viewers. The Hungarian state hoped to generate revenue from the 120,000 spectators who would watch the race from the track—they had built 25 thousand seats —and hoped to attract other series too, not only Formula 1.

The first five years were not a financial success, and it was often suggested that it was not worth bringing the race here, as it did not attract enough foreign visitors to make it profitable, and the royalties were also expensive. Today, all participants no longer pay the same participation fee – they each pay a different one, depending on what they were able to agree on with Liberty, which has managed the series since Ecclestone sold the rights. The French and the Germans have pulled out of the series and they no longer host any races, while the Arab region has joined with several locations.

The first five years in Hungary were not a financial success, and it was often suggested that it was not worth bringing the race here, as it did not attract enough foreign visitors to make it profitable, and the royalties were also expensive. Today, participants are no longer paying the same fee. They each have their own contract depending on what they were able to agree on with Liberty, which has managed the series since Ecclestone sold the rights. The French and the Germans have pulled out of the series and no longer host any races, while the Arab region has joined with several locations.

There is no threat to Hungaroring's participation in Formula 1, as the current contract runs until 2037. The track underwent a major renovation just this year, with the 40-year-old utility system having been completely redesigned and replaced, the covered stands now offering a unique atmosphere, and VIP services have also been given a serious upgrade.

And, of course, almost all of us have a favorite race, a memorable moment, or an exciting manoeuvre we've seen at Hungaroring at some point during the past forty years.