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This is my guide to attending the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring with General Admission tickets.
It includes my tips on finding the best viewing spots, along with videos of the views from many different positions so you can get an idea of where to watch from in advance.
It also includes information on what time to arrive, food and drink, the fan zones, what to bring and more.
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Hungarian GP General Admission
A General Admission (GA) ticket is the cheapest way to attend the Hungarian F1 race weekend. GA tickets will get you access to the venue and all the fan zones, but you will not have a seat in a granstand.
Instead, you’ll have to find a spot to view from on one of the grassy viewing areas around the edge of the circuit.
The map below shows the General Admission areas around the edge of the Hungaroring track highlighted in green. In these areas, predominantly from Turn 6 to Turn 14, you can have a view of the track.
If you’re going for a number of days, my advice is use the first day or two to walk around the circuit and try out the different viewing spots. Then if you’ve picked your favourite, get there early (read below to see exactly how early) and run for the spot you want. Be prepared not to move until the race finishes otherwise it’s likely you’ll lose it.
Hungarian GP General Admission Tickets
General Admission tickets for the Hungarian F1 are some of the cheapest tickets on the whole Formula 1 calendar. That makes the race weekend accessible to more people, which means they’re hugely popular and normally sell out very quickly.
If that’s the case, don’t worry. Do what I do and buy your tickets through ViaGoGo instead; they always have plenty of tickets available even when they’re sold out elsewhere.
And if you wait until nearer to the race weekend, you may also be able to find them at a cheaper price and grab a bit of a bargain.
I have purchased all my recent F1 tickets on ViaGoGo. I used them when I went to the Grand Prix at Silverstone, Spa and Zandvoort. I’ve always had a great experience with them and I won’t hesitate to use them again.
For added peace of mind when I bought my tickets they also have a very good ‘FanProtect’ guarantee which makes sure your tickets and money are protected.
Hungary F1 General Admission Views
How much of the circuit you can see depends massively on your viewing location around the track. GA areas are from Turn 6 all the way around the outside of the track up to the exit of Turn 14.
The circuit is surrounded on most sides by grass hills, meaning the further away from the track you go, the higher up you get. This is particularly true along the straight between turns 11 and 12, where there’s a couple of big grass mounds you can walk up to get a view. This 360 degree image was taken from high up the bank overlooking Turn 11:
Below I’m going to show you videos of the views from different spots, so you can get an idea of what to watch for. On the map below I’ve added triangles with letters which will correspond to the location the below videos were filmed in. The direction of the ‘long’ point of the triangle shows which way they’re pointing.
These letters are ones I’ve used, they’re not official viewing position names!
Viewpoint A (Turn 9)
This is on the outside of Turn 9, just after the cars have entered the corner. Turn 9 is a fast right-hander so you can see the cars corner at high speed. The view point here is a grass mound quite high above the circuit, and you’re looking through a fence. You can only really get a view from here if you’re close to the fence.
There is no TV screen visible here.
From 11:56 in the video below:
Viewpoint B (Turn 9)
This next viewpoint as just after the exit of Turn 9, again on the outside of the track, but this time looking back down the track with the cars coming towards you.
This is a nice view as you can see the cars exiting Turn 8, going through Turn 9 and then entering Turn 10 off to your left. Also, it’s one of the view General Admission areas that has any shade, as the trees here provide some cover.
There’s no TV screen here.
From 14:10 in the video below:
Viewpoint C (Turn 10)
This viewpoint is on the exit of Turn 10, just as the cars sweep from left to right and begin to enter Turn 11. This video was filmed from right up against the fence and gives you a real sense of speed as the cars come past.
No TV screen visible from here:
Viewpoint D (Turn 11)
This view is slightly further to the left than the previous one, and is looking directly at Turn 11 as the cars enter the fast right hander.
No TV screen visible from here:
Viewpoint E (Turn 11)
This next video shows the view from the exit of Turn 11, looking back along the track as the cars come towards you. Again this gives you a great sense of speed.
No TV screen here:
Viewpoint F (Turn 12)
This next viewpoint is just as the cars brake from the Turn 12 right hander. Again we’re on the outside of the track, and occasionally you will see an overtaking move here as it’s at the end of one of the straights where DRS is activated.
There is a TV screen half way along this straight on the other side of the track, directly opposite the Fan grandstand. But you wouldn’t be able to see that from where this video was taken as we’re too close to Turn 12:
Viewpoint G (Turn 14)
Finally this viewpoint was from the grass banking on the exit of Turn 14. It was taken from a spot adjacent to the Grand Prix 2 grandstand, and gives you a view of the final corner and the beginning of the start / finish straight.
It gives you a view of the two TV screens on the inside of Turn 14, but they are quite a way in the distance so some binoculars would help.
Best viewing point
If your priority is to have visibility of a TV screen, try for the hill at Turn 14, the straight before Turn 12 or next to the Chicane 1 grandstand near Turns 6 and 7. Having visibility of a screen is great for keeping up with the rest of the action when you can’t see the cars in front of you.
If you’re not so bothered by seeing a screen and just want a nice view, my personally choice is on the exit of Turn 9 (Viewpoint B above), looking back down the track and watching the cars weave their way towards you through turns 8 and 9. You also have the benefit of some cover from the trees there – great for a hot sunny day.
How early should I arrive?
The Hungarian Grand Prix is always sold out. Saturday and Sunday especially will be incredibly busy. If you want to try and get your favourite spot close to the fence, you need to plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before the spectator gates open. Then once they open, people will literally be running to get to their view points. So be prepared do the same.
If you turn up a couple of hours after the gates open on the weekend, don’t expect to be able to find a prime viewing spot right at the edge of the track.
Instead, do the opposite. Walk further away from the track up some of the grassy banks that surround it and try and find a higher spot with a wider vantage point.
Gate Opening Times
Check out my guide to the Hungaroring entrance gates for the latest update on the opening times.
Viewing conditions
All the view spots in the general admission areas are on grass banks. If it’s hot, dry and sunny this is ok. But if it’s wet they can get muddy. So bring something to lay on the floor to sit on to keep yourself dry.
Officially you’re not allowed to bring in camping chairs. But people have previously snuck small fold-up ones inside their back packs, so be creative.
Food and drink
There are lots of food and drinks vendors within the circuit. But they’ll often bulk cook a lot of food at the start of the day and leave it simmering away for hours. If it’s meat, that could be a bit dodgy. So it might be safest to avoid it.
There are lots of different food and drink options. Prices are in the local currency, the Hungarian Forint (Ft). Here’s some prices from last year Hungarian Grand Prix:
- Pizza Slice: 3800 Ft / £9 / $12
- Burger & fries: 8700 Ft / £20 / $26
- Hungaria Goulash (stew): 9000 Ft / £21 / $28
- Beer (0.5 litres): 2500 Ft / £6 / $8
- Beer (0.33 litres): 1900 Ft / £4 / $5.50
- Coca-cola (0.5 litres): 1500 Ft / £3.50 / $4.60
- Coffee: 2300 Ft / £5 / $6.50
- Water (0.5 litres): 900 Ft / £2.00 / $2.60
As you can see, some of the food prices are quite high. You’re allowed to bring your own food in to the circuit, so I’d visit a supermarket before hand and stock up on snacks and supplies to avoid spending so much when inside the circuit.
You can also bring your own soft drinks, and 1 litre of alchohol as long as it’s not in a glass bottle.
There are water refill stations dotted around but if it’s hot, the lines for these may be long.
Commentary
There will be commentary broadcast over the speakers at the circuit, usually in Hungarian and English. But this can be hard to hear.
You can purchased headsets at the track with the commentary, but these are incredibly expensive – usually over £100 / $130!!
Track invasion / podium ceremony
After the race, you can get on the circuit and make your way to the podium for the ceremony, but only from a couple of specific entrance gates.
These are near Turn 12 and Turn 14. Turn 14 is closest to the podium so entering the track there will give you the quickest access, but it’s also the busiest point.
What to wear
Check out my full Hungarian GP dress code guide for info on what to wear.
What to bring
Here’s a list of items that you should considering bringing to the Hungarian GP at the Hungaroring:
General
- Tickets – Download a copy to your phone beforehand. Don’t rely on the internet, as there’s so many people around it can be patchy.
- Money – cards, contactless and cash all worth bringing.
- Rucksack
- Weather protection
- Sun cream
- UV protection lip balm
- Sun hat
- Sun glasses
- Waterproof everything if it looks wet – jacket / trousers / poncho, even a waterproof rucksack cover
- Umbrella
- Warm layers of clothes you can easily remove
Electronics
- Fully charged phone
- Battery bank / power pack
- Still camera with zoom lens
- Video camera
- Spare camera batteries
- Spare memory cards
Spectating
- Ear plugs or ear defenders, especially for young kids
- Binoculars
- Picnic rug / waterproof mat
- Small cushion (equally useful on grandstand seats)
Food / drink
- Refillable water bottle. There are taps near the toilet areas, but lines can be long.
- Food – you are allowed to bring your own food, and it’s a cheaper option.
- Drinks – You can bring soft drinks and up to 1 litre of alchohol, just as long as it’s not in a glass bottle
- Water – pack extra bottles of water if it’s going to be hot. Freeze one the night before.
- Electrolyte hydration drinks / tablets / sachets
- Rubbish bag – don’t leave any litter!
- Tissues / wet wipes
Getting there & camping
I’ve put together a couple of full guides with loads of tips and info to help you with your trip to the Hungaroring:
- Travel guide (car, taxi, public transport, shuttle buses)
- Parking tips
- Camping guide
