MotoGP Preview: Hungarian Grand Prix
- Silvia Cojocaru
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Written by Silvia Cojocaru. Edited by Dhara Dave
MotoGP leaves Italy with multiple thrilling storylines left to unfold. Marco Bezzecchi extended his lead in the championship after an emotional home win, but rivals Jorge Martín and Fabio Di Giannantonio are not ready to give up yet. With the other riders preparing to make their mark as well, who will reign victorious this week?
The action will continue in Hungary, and here is everything you need to keep an eye on this Sunday!
This week's track: Balaton Park
Situated just 85km from Budapest, this track gets its name from the beautiful Balaton Lake near it. One of MotoGP’s newest destinations, Hungary returned to the calendar in 2025 after a 33-year break.
The circuit itself is the newest one built in this year's rotation. First opened in May of 2023, Balaton Park spans 4.08km (2.535 miles) and has 17 corners.
Designed by Ferenc Gulácsi, who is also the architect behind the famous Hungaroring, this track was built with modern safety standards in mind.
Keep an eye on Turn 5, one of the highest braking zones at Balaton Park. Riders will be forced to drop from speeds of nearly 168 mph (270 mkh), representing the ideal place to out-brake competitors and gain track positions.
Another key section consists of the backstraight chicanes, which require sudden deceleration and will bring the pack closer. This is another place where riders can out-brake each other, with the added need for precision in keeping in line.
Past results
Only having one year to look back on does not mean that Balaton Park hasn't already offered fans some chaotic racing moments.
2025 was Marc Marquez’s year, and he cemented this at the Balaton Park as well by claiming another dominant win. The rider who was able to challenge him most was none other than Pedro Acosta, who had a formidable performance.
Francesco Bagnaia struggled after receiving a Long Lap penalty in the race and only finished ninth, a very disappointing result considering the performances Marc Márquez managed on the same bike.
Aprilia had some great results at the Hungarian track as well, with Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martín finishing third and fourth, respectively. This result was especially important for the Spaniard, who had a difficult season filled with crashes. He only qualified 16th but was able to prove to everyone watching that he is still a world champion.
While Balaton Park is a new addition to the calendar, Hungary previously hosted two MotoGP races in 1990 and 1992. Both took place at the Hungaroring and were won by Mick Doohan and Eddie Lawson, respectively.
Key talking points
Last week, Bezzecchi managed to claim his first win at Mugello and subsequently extended his lead in the championship to 17 points. Martín still managed a decent result to finish second in the race, keeping the title fight wide open.
Di Giannantonio was unfortunately not able to keep his momentum from the previous weekends and ultimately lost points to the two leading riders in the Grand Prix. The Italian only managed to finish P5 and is now 39 points off the championship leader.
Perhaps the most surprising result from Italy was Bagnaia's P3. The Ducati rider has been struggling throughout the start of the season, but at his home race, he proved that he is still able to compete at the front, even leading the race for a few laps. Could this mark the much-awaited comeback of the multiple-word champion?
Marc Márquez returned after his injury and had a great performance at the start of the sprint to briefly claim the lead, but ultimately he lost multiple positions in both races. Still, this was just the beginning of his return, so it's good to keep an eye on the reigning champion as we arrive in Hungary.
His brother, Álex Márquez, as well as Johann Zarco, will still be out of contention for this week's race. The Gresini rider will be replaced by Iker Lecuona, while Cal Crutchlow will continue to stand in for the French rider.
Who will take the lead in the championship after we visit Hungary? Tune in on the 7th of June 2026 at 15.00 track time (13.00 GMT) to find out!
