Condition for the renewal of the contract was the modernization of the race track and visitor facilities.Continue reading
The Balaton Park racetrack in Balatonfőkajár has been officially opened and can host any kind of motoring event, apart from Formula 1 and the World Championship of Speedway Racing.
The 4115-meter-long, 16-turn asphalt track with associated service facilities is located just a few kilometers from the M7 motorway and only 85 kilometers from Budapest.
Speaking at the opening press conference of the Balaton Park Circuit, Gianpaolo Matteucci, a member of the circuit’s board of directors, said:
“This facility has been built to the highest safety standards set by the International Automobile Federation and the International Motorsports Federation, which is why it can host basically any race. A 145-room, four-star hotel is also under construction and will be completed shortly, with a direct view of the track from the rooms.”
He added that
the racetrack is expected to boost tourism in the area and will also play a major role in job creation.
The press conference was attended by three-time Formula 1 race winner Giancarlo Fisichella, who was the first to drive on the racetrack with a road-going Ferrari. The 50-year-old driver said he was honored to be the first to test the Balaton Park circuit and explained the main driving techniques and the most important aspects of the track from a racing perspective.
There is a good opportunity to overtake at the end of the finishing straight, and on the back straight I feel you can reach speeds of 250-260 km/h with a racing car and up to 300 km/h with a Formula 1 car,”
the Italian driver explained.
Adrienn Dancsó, Operations Manager of the Balaton Park Circuit motorsport department, explained that they have 40,000 square meters of paddock space, 48 garages in the pit lane, and the latest race management system, MyLapsX2.
In response to a journalist’s question, she said that they still had to meet additional requirements for Formula 1 and MotoGP races but that they did not want to “take F1” from the Hungaroring as it “belongs” there.
Featured image: Facebook/Motorsport Portál Hungary