The 34th Hungarian Grand Prix begins today with the free practice rounds and the main sporting event of the summer is again expected to attract over 200,000 visitors this weekend.
The first Hungarian Grand Prix was held in 1986 and it was quite the coup for then Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to bring the race behind the Iron Curtain. It has been a regular summer fixture ever since.
According to Rmx.news, this year’s race may not be as nail-biting as some previous events as British driver Lewis Hamilton has a clear, 41-point lead over Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas.
Lewis Hamilton – who raced with a viral infection last weekend in Hockenheim, Germany – has cancelled most of his public appearances to spend “as little time outside the car as possible”, but fresh reports say he has recovered since.
The Ferrari team has yet to score a victory this season and they are hopeful that Hungary will be the place to do it.
In terms of attendance, in a season when most other venues saw a drop in the number of spectators, the Hungarian organizers are expecting a 10 to 15 percent increase in ticket sales.
Photo credit: Formula 1