Official 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[732NM]

richhead said:

Im glad they didnt try to hang on to F1, every old track that F1 goes to is now a shadow of its former self.

Apart from st in and st out, Silverstone is a fantastic circuit to drive, far better than the old days.

[TheDeuce]

732NM said:

It makes zero difference where they race, just slot it in where the logistics can make it work and where the money makes sense.
I can see a couple more being replaced, a Portimao final race would be fantastic. Lots of great memories at that track.

Portimao would be fantastic, but I'm thinking they want the season finale to be in the middle east - and if that's not possible, at a circuit in a friendly and aligned country.

Yeah they can and will race anywhere. If the situation becomes so impractical that the cost of turning up threatens the cost cap, the FIA will allow an overspend. Nothing will stop them getting a season of sport. Not even COVID managed to halt the train for long.

[Milkyway]

Top Gear magazine are reporting that the 2027 British GP will be held in Wellington... New Zealand.
I have relatives nr Auckland, might have to tap them up... Put them up & they really enjoyed the BTCC at Thruxton.
(Fairs Fair),]

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 1st August 23:32

[TheDeuce]

INeedAHero said:

I wonder if the Abu Dhabi GP could be held at Silverstone? ?

If it can't be held in Abu Dhabi, I wouldn't be surprised if a USA circuit was re used - probably COTA. All the money in the sport these days pulls towards the ME or USA.

Silverstone remains important for historical reasons, but I sense the powers that be aren't particularly interested in UK/European growth of the sport

[Milkyway]

There was rumours of Las Vegas having two races... Which has been squashed.
It would clash with another major sporting event in the USA.

Apparently, the FIA have to have one more GP after LV for contractual reasons.

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 1st August 23:32

[TheDeuce]

Milkyway said:

There was rumours of Las Vegas having two races... Which has been squashed.
It would clash with another major sporting event in the USA.

Apparently, the FIA have to have one more GP after LV for contractual reasons.

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 1st August 23:32

Fairly obvious contractual reasons... The final GP has to be in the middle east.

But if that's not an option then it'll bounce back to the USA. Even if it's named/shared as an ME GP.

[Sandpit Steve]

TheDeuce said:

Milkyway said:

There was rumours of Las Vegas having two races... Which has been squashed.
It would clash with another major sporting event in the USA.

Apparently, the FIA have to have one more GP after LV for contractual reasons.

Fairly obvious contractual reasons... The final GP has to be in the middle east.

But if that's not an option then it'll bounce back to the USA. Even if it's named/shared as an ME GP.

Yes AD pays one of the largest hosting fees in the calendar, for the right to hold the final race of the season.

Going back to COTA for the “Abu Dhabi GP” might not actually be too crazy an idea, there’s going to be few options with half-decent weather in December and the circus is in the US already for Vegas which would help with logistics.

The only unused Grade 1 circuit in the US is the infamous Indy road course, which would show up the new engines worse than Monza! It’s a shame some of the other US circuits aren’t up to grade, would be awesome to see F1 somewhere like Laguna Seca.

I’ve also seen Portimaõ mentioned as a possibility, which wouldn t be a bad option.

But obviously I’m hoping the last race stays in Abu Dhabi, because I haven t been to a race in person this season and it’s down the road from me!

Edited by Sandpit Steve on Sunday 2nd August 09:10

[vaud]

TheDeuce said:

Fairly obvious contractual reasons... The final GP has to be in the middle east.

But if that's not an option then it'll bounce back to the USA. Even if it's named/shared as an ME GP.

Contracts will have clauses (like wars, etc) to allow for changes. I suspect this is more about money, as a chunk of the hosting fee will flow to the teams eventually

[Milkyway]

Financial & sponsorship etc... I'm sure that some of the drivers & teams wouldn't mind clocking off early.
Except... Some would dispute the final positions if the extra lost points made a difference to the overall standings.
(Especially in the Championships stakes).

Edited by Milkyway on Sunday 2nd August 13:09

[honda_exige]

It should obviously be Brazil, right time of year and you can never have too many Brazilian GPs.

[richhead]

I dont much care where the last races are held, as i never travel to see them live, what i would like to see, is some more slow twisty tracks like hungry that actually produced good racing with these awefull cars.

[PhilAsia]

TheDeuce said:

Milkyway said:

There was rumours of Las Vegas having two races... Which has been squashed.
It would clash with another major sporting event in the USA.

Apparently, the FIA have to have one more GP after LV for contractual reasons.

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 1st August 23:32

Fairly obvious contractual reasons... The final GP has to be in the middle east.

But if that's not an option then it'll bounce back to the USA. Even if it's named/shared as an ME GP.

If the US, it could be held at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Although clipping towards the end of the quarter mile might put the dampers on that option

[Sandpit Steve]

richhead said:

I dont much care where the last races are held, as i never travel to see them live, what i would like to see, is some more slow twisty tracks like hungry that actually produced good racing with these awefull cars.

Yes, AD will not be a good circuit for these cars.

Last time I was there I was in the West Grandstand, which is on the Turn 6/7 chicane at the end of a 1km straight. My biggest takeaway from being there was the braking performance of the cars, which really doesn’t come across well on TV. IMHO it’s the single most impressive aspect of the performance of an F1 car.

This year, the F2 cars are going to be faster into that braking zone, as the F1 cars start clipping half way down the straight. The recent (2020?) changes to the circuit made the racing better, but this year will make the PU problem a lot worse!

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

Yes, AD will not be a good circuit for these cars.

Last time I was there I was in the West Grandstand, which is on the Turn 6/7 chicane at the end of a 1km straight. My biggest takeaway from being there was the braking performance of the cars, which really doesn t come across well on TV. IMHO it s the single most impressive aspect of the performance of an F1 car.

This year, the F2 cars are going to be faster into that braking zone, as the F1 cars start clipping half way down the straight. The recent (2020?) changes to the circuit made the racing better, but this year will make the PU problem a lot worse!

I used to love seeing this:





Yet another thing modern F1 has lost, along with the sound, the visceral shock, the smell, going fast into and through corners, etc.

[vaud]

How has the smell changed?

[paulguitar]

vaud said:

How has the smell changed?

That's a really good question.

I suspect the old specific F1 smell was from chemical fuel additives- it was probably unhealthy/dangerous, so it is probably for the best that it's no longer there!

But I loved it.

[732NM]

paulguitar said:

That's a really good question.

I suspect the old specific F1 smell was from chemical fuel additives- it was probably unhealthy/dangerous, so it is probably for the best that it's no longer there!

But I loved it.

There has been nothing dodgy in the fuel for decades. The first generation 1980's turbo car fuel was carcinogenic.

[paulguitar]

732NM said:

paulguitar said:

That's a really good question.

I suspect the old specific F1 smell was from chemical fuel additives- it was probably unhealthy/dangerous, so it is probably for the best that it's no longer there!

But I loved it.

There has been nothing dodgy in the fuel for decades. The first generation 1980's turbo car fuel was carcinogenic.

Any idea what's changed with the smell?

[732NM]

The fuels this year are totally different.

[paulguitar]

Google said this:


'Formula 1 cars lack their historic scent due to clean-burning hybrid power units, highly regulated commercial-grade fuel, and direct-injection efficiency'.