Hungarian Grand Prix

The Hungarian Grand Prix returned to the MotoGP calendar in 2025 to end a 32-year hiatus, having first staged a 500cc world championship race in Hungary back in 1990.

Only two editions were ever run during the 500cc world championship’s visits to Hungary in 1990 and 1992. But the European country remained keen to bring premier class motorcycle racing back to the nation with Hungary first holding talks with MotoGP about a race in 2004.

Henrik Hermann as the president of the Hungarian Motorsport Association always drove the nation’s bid to bring MotoGP back from the start when he met Dorna Sports in 2004. But an assortment of hurdles through the years meant the Hungarian GP did not return until 2025.

History of the MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix

Hermann dreamt about reviving the Hungarian Grand Prix after speaking with Dorna in 2004 as the president of the Hungarian Motorsport Association believed MotoGP was and is “the most exciting motorsport event in the world”. But his dream would only materialise in 2025.

Various attempts to revive the Hungarian GP between the 1992 running and MotoGP, finally, confirming its return in September 2024 fell short despite the nation’s endless desire to host a race again. A new circuit with Balaton Park joining the calendar also helped land its return.

Dorna first signed a contract to revive the Hungarian GP as part of the 2009 MotoGP season with a race at the never-to-be-seen Balatonring. But the purpose-built circuit never saw the light of day, so MotoGP included the inaugural Grand Prix of Aragon on its schedule in 2009.

Later attempts to revive the Hungarian GP with another proposed new circuit built near the city of Debrecen matured in 2021 when Victor Orban’s government backed the project. Yet little more was ever said about the race expected to be held in 2023 before changing track.

MotoGP again confirmed plans to add the Hungarian GP to its calendar in 2023 with Balaton Park a reserve circuit in 2024 before the Hungaroring staged the race in 2025. But questions on the Hungaroring’s aptness for bikes persisted, before MotoGP gave Balaton Park the race.

Mick Doohan scored his first premier class win at the debut Hungarian Grand Prix in 1990

The Hungaroring had acted as the 500cc world championship’s home in Hungary for the first two runnings of the Grand Prix in 1990 and 1992. But despite MotoGP’s initial plans to head back to the track just outside Budapest, the circuit would have required substantial changes.

Even the debut running of the Hungarian GP as part of the 1990 500cc world championship almost fell through at the last minute. A potential boycott of the race was on the cards after riders raised complaints over the safety standards and condition of the Hungaroring’s track.

Riders struggled with the Hungaroring’s bumps and the hot conditions in which the race was held. But the race went ahead, and Mick Doohan won the 1990 Hungarian GP for his first of 54 premier class wins in the Honda hero’s second year on the 500cc championship’s grid.

Still, the series did not return in 1991, but racing resumed at the Hungaroring in 1992. Heat was not an issue due to changeable weather conditions, too, which helped Eddie Lawson to get Cagiva’s debut 500cc world championship race win at the 1992 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In contrast to five-time champion Doohan scoring his first-ever premier class win at the 1990 Hungarian Grand Prix, the 1992 meeting would mark four-time champion Lawson’s last of 31 wins. Lawson retired after 1992, his second season with Cagiva’s outfit run by Team Agostini.

What is the Balaton Park circuit like?

Balaton Park earned its name owing to the track which now stages the Hungarian Grand Prix being near Lake Balaton in western Hungary. The circuit also conducted some refurbishment works to improve the track and the facilities ahead of MotoGP returning to Hungary in 2025.

MotoGP agreed to stage a race at Balaton Park after the track accepted it required upgrades to the infrastructure and fan offering to host a world championship Grand Prix. Even though construction works to build Balaton Park were only concluded in 2023 after starting in 2019.

Former racecar driver Chanoch Nissany funded the initial project to create Balaton Park. But the circuit failed to meet the FIM’s requirement for a Grade A Licence, so it required further modifications before MotoGP and the World Superbike championships staged races in 2025.

MotoGP demanded that Balaton Park reduced the speed of the circuit with the addition of an extra chicane plus two smaller radius corners to help improve the chances for overtakes. The series further felt the track lacked enough of a challenge for riders toward the end of the lap.

Winners of the MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix

Below, MotoGP News has listed every premier class rider to win the Hungarian Grand Prix…