The Hungaroring is built 12 miles north east of Budapest, and is set in a natural Amphitheatre, as the track starts on one side, goes down into a valley before going down the far side, then turning and coming back in the opposite direction. Overtaking is virtually impossible here, as the track is narrow, with many slow corners.

Around 1.7 million people live in Hungary´s capital Budapest. Population numbers are in decline: in 1990 the city had two million inhabitants. It prospered thanks to its location on the trade route of the Danube river as well as its numerous hot springs. Budapest is the business and cultural hub of the country and boasts a large number of museums and universities.

1873 saw the unification of the previously independent towns of Buda, Pest and Óbuda. The chain bridge (built from 1839-49) connecting the hilly, western side of Buda with the flat terrain of Pest on the eastern side is one of the city´s trademarks, along with the baroque royal castle that rises above the city on the Buda side. The Castle District and waterfront area with its narrow cobbled streets is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stately neoclassical buildings, green spaces and broad avenues on the side of the Pest plain are on a grander scale.

The Hungarian Grand Prix has been held since 1986 and marks its 21st running in 2006. The course has undergone a number of modifications, most recently for the 2003 GP when it was extended from 3.975 to 4.381 kilometres. Today´s variant is the longest Hungaroring there has ever been, exceeding even the original course (1986 to 1988), which was 4.014 kilometres long. The circuit is about a 20-minute drive northeast of the city centre.