The Hungaroring is a rather odd place. It is as tight and twisty as Monaco but minus the Armco, the harbour, the glitz and the glamour.
It is also a place with two personalities: its races can be dull and painfully boring but they can also be action-packed and exciting. While it tends to be more of the former than the latter, it seems to have done enough to stay on the calendar for a while. I’ll be showing you some of the more exciting moments at this track:
1986: The first Hungarian Grand Prix was as much a political statement as it was a proper motor race. Here was a major Western sport, holding an event behind the Iron Curtain. ESPN’s Chris Ekonomaki even reported that there was nothing on state TV and radio except the race!
The Hungarians weren’t disappointed. They watched Ayrton Senna try his best to hold off Nelson Piquet in the quicker Williams. But Piquet didn’t just pass Senna once, he did it twice! At the second attempt Piquet passed him in style, powersliding his way round the outsides to win.
1989: Nigel Mansell had a great start to his Ferrari career by winning the first round in Brazil – a race he didn’t think he’d even finish.
When the second win finally came it was just as much of a surprise as he started 12th at a track where it was next to impossible to overtake.
But give “Our Nige” a sniff of a win and he always pounced. He battled his way from P12 to P2 and stalked Ayrton Senna. Just like 1986, Senna got passed in style by the car behind – this time, when he got stuck behind Stefan Johansson’s Onyx. Mansell never looked back and went on to win.
1990: When Williams took the front row for this race, with Thierry Boutsen on pole and Riccardo Patrese second, many thought they’d be easy prey for the McLarens on row two. But this was Hungary, and while Patrese fell off the pace, Boutsen controlled the race at the front, while Senna kept falling back after a litany of errors.
Senna eventually fought back up to third and was in yet another tight battle, this time with Benetton’s Alessandro Nannini. Senna played aggressor, passing Nannini on the inside at the chicane. But there wasn’t enough room for both of them, and Senna punted Nannini pff, forcing the Italian out of the race. Senna then tried passing Boutsen in the closing stages, but the Belgian prevailed to take his third and last Grand Prix win.
1992: After falling short of the title in 1986, 1987, and 1991, you couldn’t blame Nigel Mansell if he thought he’d never become champion. But 1992 saw him become the dominant force of the year, winning the first five races and eight of the first ten. Mansell had a huge lead entering Hungary, but he still wanted to wrap up the title as early as possible.
He had a rough start, falling back after starting second on the grid, then having to pit after suffering tyre problems. But Mansell’s pace was very quick. And when teammate and theoretical championship rival Riccardo Patrese retired, he only needed to finish third to win the title. Not only did he fight back to third, he even passed Gerhard Berger’s McLaren for good measure. Senna won the race, but Mansell won the championship – at last.
1993 Yet another Englishman driving a Williams enjoyed success here a year later. This time, it was Damon Hill taking his first Grand Prix win. He had come very close to winning the British and German Grands Prix that year, but had mechanical failures in both, allowing teammate Alain Prost to pick up the pieces and take the victory. This time, pole-position man Prost stalled and started from the back. Hill’s second place grid slot became pole by default, and it was third time lucky for Hill.
Damon Hill was also involved in another magical Hungarian GP – this one in 1997. I’ll pick up from there tomorrow.
This is a guest article by Journeyer. If you’re interested in writing for F1 Fanatic see the information for guest writers here.
Sush
30th July 2008, 17:21
Piquet’s slide for position is quite possibly the coolest thing i’ve ever seen.
Rob R.
30th July 2008, 18:50
Hah… Clive James’ narration is fantastic.
TommyB
30th July 2008, 22:38
Am i right in saying that Damon’s win stopped Prost from winning the championship? I’m sure i heard that after this race it ment Mansell was the holding champion of the Formula One world championship and the Indy Car series?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
30th July 2008, 23:35
Tommy – not quite. If Prost had won that race with Senna not scoring he’d have had a 47 point lead with 50 points to be won. But really it was only delaying the inevitable that year. Senna had done a heck of a job to stay that close to Prost.
Sush – Agreed. One of the great under-rated passes I reckon. I put it second in my ’50 greatest overtaking moves’ piece: Video: Top 50 F1 passes – Part V
Sush
31st July 2008, 1:34
I’ll have to have a closer look at your article keith, thanks.
let me guess, is the Mika vs Schue at spa top of the list?
Heidfield needs to be added to one of the greatest overtakers in the history of F1, if you ask me, but your not asking me.
Journeyer
31st July 2008, 2:47
I agree, Rob. Ben Edwards is pretty good, but Clive James has to be the best F1 season video presenter – ever! That brand of deadpan humor is just spot-on! :)
Tim
31st July 2008, 8:15
Thierry Boutsen won three Grand Prix, not two – Canada and Australia 1989, plus Hungary 1990.
Journeyer
31st July 2008, 8:31
Ah, yes, he did, Tim! Thanks for the correction.
Keith, can we update the article with Tim’s info? :)
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
31st July 2008, 9:40
I have done, sorry I didn’t spot that when I was putting the article in.
Am a big Clive James fan too – he did the 1982, 1984 and 1986 season review videos and they’re all worth watching:
The Official End of Season Review (1982)
Two till the end (1984 F1 season review video)
All Over Down Under (1986 F1 season review video)
Journeyer
31st July 2008, 12:00
Clive James line of the weekend – ‘!Viva el capitalismo!”
Antifia
1st August 2008, 12:38
Keith: Your narrative is somewhat unfair towards Senna. It is almost like he as the quissentential loser in this track. You don’t mention the 1988 and 1991 races which he won – the one of 1988 with a memorable fight against Prost. In the end of the day, he had 3 wins and 4 second places in the 8 times he raced in Hungary, but someone reading your text would not have guessed it.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
1st August 2008, 13:07
Antifia – Journeyer wrote this, not me.
I think he chose the races on the grounds of which were the most entertaining (and possibly also which videos were available), not out of a desire to portray any particular driver in a positive or negative light.
And the caption on the main image does mention Senna’s three wins.
Antifia
1st August 2008, 21:15
Ok Keith, my mistake about who wrote the text.
But I still think that for such a dominant figure in those years, he received below par treatment. But, hey I am fan of the guy…perhaps I am the one a bit biased this time.