A unique MotoGP record could be extended at the Hungarian Grand Prix by one rider

The Hungarian Grand Prix returns for the first time in over 30 years, with MotoGP heading to the new Balaton Park circuit.

MotoGP has a relatively short history of competing in Hungary, with just two grands prix taking place in the country prior to this year.

The first was in 1990 at the Hungaroring, with Mick Doohan taking the spoils for Honda, before the final Hungarian Grand Prix until this year was held in 1992. Eddie Lawson and Cagiva won that race.

Hungary did enjoy grand prix success in the 2000s, with Gabor Talmacsi winning the 2007 125cc title on an Aprilia.

That would be the brightest Talmacsi’s star shone, however, with the Hungarian only competing in MotoGP in 2009 from the sixth round onwards with the Scot Racing Honda squad.

In 2010, MotoGP was due to go to Hungary again but this event failed to be realised due to issues in the construction of the Balatonring.

In 2025, MotoGP finally returns to the new Balaton Park track, which hosted World Superbike last month.

It is the 16th circuit to join the calendar in the modern era (beginning in 2002) and the first since the 2023 Indian Grand Prix.

Three current stars hold wins at new circuits

The 2023 Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit was won by Marco Bezzecchi, who was with the VR46 Ducati team back then.

The current factory Aprilia rider is on a hot streak recently, having finished on the podium after a lengthy stint leading the Austrian Grand Prix to add to his Silverstone win and rostrums at Assen and Brno.

He is one of three riders on the current grid who have won at new circuits. One can set a new record for the modern era, while the other can match the existing one.

Marc Marquez, the championship leader, holds three wins at new circuits: COTA 2013, Rio Honda 2014 and Buriram in 2018.

Two of those three venues were anticlockwise, which is a layout of particular strength for Marquez. Balaton Park is also run in this direction, which already has the Ducati rider pegged as a pre-race favourite.

Marquez comes to Hungary off the back of six successive wins to add to his haul of nine on Sundays for the season.

The rider who could - albeit unlikely - match this tally of three is Miguel Oliveira. The current Pramac Yamaha rider won at the Algarve International Circuit on its debut in 2020, and again at Mandalika in 2022, both times with KTM.

However, Oliveira has struggled on the M1 this season and has only managed a best result of 13th.

No other rider on the current grid has etched their name on the winning trophy for the first time at a new circuit. The most-recent for a non-active rider was Andrea Iannone at the Red Bull Ring in 2016.

Prior to Marquez’s COTA triumph in 2013, Casey Stoner was the winner at MotoGP newest circuit when he took top honours at Aragon in 2010. Incidentally, Aragon was chosen as the replacement event for the cancelled Hungarian Grand Prix that season.

Silverstone returned to the calendar revamped having been absent since the late 1980s. Jorge Lorenzo for Yamaha won that race, while then-Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi triumphed in MotoGP’s first visit to Indianapolis two years earlier.

Casey Stoner won for Ducati when Misano returned in 2007, this time with its layout running in reverse from its last appearance as part of safety upgrades.

When MotoGP first visited Turkey and Istanbul Park in 2005, Marco Melandri was victorious on a Honda, with Nicky Hayden taking the RC211V to a win at the inaugural Laguna Seca round that year too.

In the same year, Valentino Rossi won the first Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit for Yamaha. One year earlier, Sete Gibernau took top spot in the maiden Qatar Grand Prix in controversial circumstances after Rossi was sent to the back of the pack over a grid sweeping incident.

Honda has the most wins at a new circuit in the modern era with six, followed by four for Ducati, three for Yamaha and two for KTM.