Balaton_Park_Circuit
Balaton Park Circuit
New race track in Hungary, opened in 2023
Balaton Park Circuit is a 4.115 km (2.557 mi) motor racing circuit located near Balatonfőkajár, Hungary, 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Budapest. The track is designed to host regional and international races. The circuit was opened in May 2023.[2]
| Location | Balatonfőkajár, Hungary |
|---|---|
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST) |
| Coordinates | 47°00′29″N 18°11′56″E |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Owner | Chanoch Nissany |
| Broke ground | 2013 |
| Opened | May 2023; 11 months ago (2023-05) |
| Architect | Ferenc Gulácsi[1] |
| Major events | Current: World SBK (2024) F4 CEZ (2023–present) TCR Eastern Europe (2024) Ferrari Challenge Europe (2024) |
| Website | http://www.balatonparkcircuit.com/ |
| Full Circuit (2023–present) | |
| Length | 4.115 km (2.557 miles) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:34.919 ( Mateusz Lisowski, Mercedes-AMG GT3, 2024, GT3) |
The main phase of construction for the Balaton Park started in 2019.[3] The racetrack is owned by a private group of investors led by former racecar driver Chanoch Nissany. The project was financed using the investors' own equity, without any involvement from banks or external funding. The circuit is intended to be a modern addition to Hungary's motor racing scene, complementing the older and well-established Hungaroring circuit.[2]
The Balaton Park Circuit has been planned and constructed according to the FIA Grade 1 standards, initially obtaining a Grade 2 license. The track features Tecpro barriers and 'MyLaps' latest technology, including GPS, LED Panels and timing systems.[4]
The track has a length of 4.115 km (2.557 mi) and varies in width between 12–15 m (13–16 yd). It consists of 16 corners, with six right turns and ten left turns in its full and only layout. The circuit's facilities include 48 pit garages, VIP areas and lounges, media center, medical center, and two additional support paddock areas.[5]
The Balaton Park Circuit aims to host a variety of regional and international motor racing events. It is not related with the never-opened Balatonring.[2]
In September 2023, it was revealed that the circuit will be planned to be included in the Superbike World Championship in 2024, and it will be also the reserve venue of MotoGP World Championship in the same year before the return of Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix to Hungaroring in 2025.[6][7] On 26 October 2023, it was confirmed that the circuit will host its first World SBK race on 23–25 August 2024.[8]
Current events
- April: TCR Eastern Europe Trophy Laptiming Cup, TCR European Endurance Touring Car Series, Formula 4 CEZ Championship
- June: Ferrari Challenge Europe
- August: Superbike World Championship, Supersport World Championship, FIM Women's Motorcycling World Championship
- September: Histo-Cup Austria Lakeside Race
As of April 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Balaton Park Circuit are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Circuit: 4.115 km (2023–present) | ||||
| GT3 | 1:34.919[9] | Mateusz Lisowski [pl][10] | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | 2024 Balaton Park FIA CEZ Endurance round |
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo | 1:36.760[9] | Josef Záruba [cs][10] | Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo EVO2 | 2024 Balaton Park FIA CEZ Endurance round |
| LMP3 | 1:37.054[11] | Miro Konôpka | Ligier JS P320 | 2023 Balaton Park FirstLap Cup |
| Formula 4 | 1:37.546[12] | Ethan Ischer | Tatuus F4-T421 | 2024 Balaton Park F4 CEZ Championship round |
| Porsche Carrera Cup | 1:38.126[9] | Hubert Darmetko[10] | Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup | 2024 Balaton Park FIA CEZ Endurance round |
| GT4 | 1:42.662[9] | Richard Gonda[10] | BMW M4 GT4 | 2024 Balaton Park FIA CEZ Endurance round |
| TCR Touring Car | 1:43.844[13] | Attila Bucsi | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 2024 Balaton Park TCR Eastern Europe round |
| Renault Clio Cup | 1:54.384[14] | Tomáš Pekar | Renault Clio R.S. V | 2024 Balaton Park Clio Cup Bohemia round |
| Suzuki Swift Cup | 2:00.048[15] | Balász Hartmann | Suzuki Swift 1.4 Turbo | 2024 Balaton Park FIA Swift Cup Europe round |
- White, Megan (16 May 2023). "Balaton Park Circuit opens in Hungary". Motorsport Network. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- Kuntschik, Gerhard (21 May 2023). "Neuer Balaton Park Circuit genügt höchsten Standards" (in German). Speedweek. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- Brook-Jones, Callum (16 May 2023). "Balaton Park Circuit opens in Hungary". Professional Motorsport World. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- Lewis, Oli (17 May 2023). "Brand new Balaton Park Circuit Hungary is permitted for F1 race". gpblog.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- Collantine, Keith (16 May 2023). "New £173m Formula 1-grade Balaton Park Circuit opens in Hungary". Race Fans. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- "WorldSBK working on a return to Hungary". WorldSBK. Dorna. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- "Hungary on the horizon for MotoGP". MotoGP. Dorna. 18 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- "2024 WorldSBK calendar announced, two new circuits ready for action". WorldSBK.com. Dorna. 26 October 2023. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- "2024 Laptiming Cup - CEZ Endurance - Laps" (PDF). 27 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- "#FirstLap Cup - FIA CEZ F4 Championship & MNASZ Autós Gyorsasági és Endurance OB - Balaton Park Circuit (4114 m) - 2023.10.07-08. - Touring Cars TC/GT National - Race 1 Official Final Result" (PDF). 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- Official website
- Information about the Balaton Park Circuit - www.racingcircuits.info
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