MotoGP Returns to Hungary After 33 Years at Balaton Park Circuit

MotoGP returns to Hungary for the first time in over three decades, as Balaton Park in Balatonfőkajár stages a World Championship race weekend. The spotlight is on Spain’s Marc Márquez, six-time world champion and dominant leader of this year’s standings, who is widely regarded as the top favourite for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Riding a Ducati, Márquez has rediscovered his old form, stringing together six consecutive victories for the first time in eleven years. His most recent triumph in Austria extended his overall lead to 142 points, with his closest challenger being his younger brother Álex Márquez, also on Ducati. Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time world champion and Márquez’s teammate, trails by nearly 200 points.

Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi also enters the Hungarian weekend in strong form. Riding an Aprilia, he secured pole position in Austria before finishing fourth in the sprint and third in the main race, closing the gap on Bagnaia and Álex Márquez in the battle for second place overall.

Further down the standings, three riders are locked in a tie for fifth, sixth, and seventh: Italians Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli, alongside Spanish KTM talent Pedro Acosta, each with 144 points. Acosta appears the strongest of the trio, while Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli are eager simply to return to consistent point-scoring form after difficult recent weeks.

One of the dark horses for the Hungarian race could be Spanish Ducati rookie Fermín Aldeguer, who impressed with a career-best second place in Austria and even challenged Márquez for victory. His chances may be boosted by the fact that Balaton Park is an entirely new track for the entire grid, with riders only truly discovering its character during Friday’s free practice sessions.

Defending champion Jorge Martín, riding an Aprilia, crashed out in Austria but avoided serious injury and will line up in Hungary. The event also features Moto2, Moto3, and MotoE, the electric bike category. In MotoE, Hungarian rider Tibor Erik Varga will enjoy home support after finishing fourth in Austria and standing 11th in the championship.

Spectators can look forward to a range of side events. On Sunday, ahead of the MotoGP race, Hungary’s 2007 world champion Gábor Talmácsi will complete a parade lap on the very bike with which he claimed his 125cc crown 18 years ago.

The official programme begins Friday morning with free practice across all categories, followed by qualifying in MotoE. Saturday brings more practice sessions and qualifying for MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3, along with two MotoE races and the 13-lap MotoGP sprint. Sunday’s main schedule starts with Moto3 at 11:00, Moto2 at 12:15, and the MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix at 14:00.

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