Hungarian GP circuit guide

Round 12: 13 August

The Hungaroring is Formula One's endurance test with the race taking almost two hours to complete 77 laps.

The reason is not the distance since the Hungarian event is the standard 190 miles.

Circuit facts

Lap length: 2.466 miles (3.96km)

Race length: 77 laps

Total distance: 189.851 miles

It simply takes that long to complete the agonisingly slow track, which is more like a street circuit in character than a purpose-built facility.

Every time the accelerator is pushed you can be sure that the brake pedal must follow soon afterwards.

Overtaking here is almost as difficult as Monaco, making a good qualifying performance absolutely imperative.

Form guide

Fond memories: Villeneuve won twice in his WIlliams days

Must do better: Frentzen's frustrations include a blown engine while leading in 1997

Look out for: Desperate drivers trying to overtake

This is not helped by the fact that the Hungarian tarmac is rarely used for racing.

The early part of the weekend sees the first cars clearing a thick layer of dust off the track rather than honing their set up for Saturday lunchtime's hour-long time trial.

Drivers are understandably reluctant to go out and clean the track for their rivals, making tyre choice difficult and qualifying a real game of cat-and-mouse.

When these obstacles have been surmounted, the race is held in midsummer August heat.

Drivers leave the cars exhausted and the circuit's nature often provides a surprise, particularly if a slower car gets lucky and takes the lead.

Roll of honour

1995: Damon Hill, Williams

1996: Jacques Villeneuve, Williams

1997: Jacques Villeneuve, Williams

1998: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

1999: Mika Hakkinen, McLaren

Hungary remains on the calendar partly due to its popularity with fans from nearby Germany and because it remains the only race held in eastern Europe.

When it started in 1986 the event was a radical departure for the world's most capitalistic sport as it went behind what was then Europe's Iron Curtain.

1999 result

1. David Coulthard, McLaren

2. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren

3. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Jordan

4. Eddie Irvine, Ferrari

5. Ralf Schumacher, Williams

6. Damon Hill, Jordan

Since then European politics have changed a good deal more than this circuit on the outskirts of Budapest.

But the Hungaroring is now one of the longer-term members of the F1 club and will hold its 15th successive race this year.