Hungary Grand Prix Venue's $135M Redevelopment To Start In '18

The "long-anticipated rebuilding" of the Hungaroring's aging facilities will "finally" get under way next year after the venue secured the required state support, according to Adam Cooper of MOTORSPORT. Government ministers have signed off on 35B forints ($135M) of funding for the work, "with the payments spread out over three stages" of 5B forints ($19.3M), 10B forints ($38.6M) and 20B forints ($77.3M). The venue has "gone virtually unchanged" since the first grand prix was held in '86, and it has been "clear for some years that a revamp was essential." The first job will be rebuilding the main grandstands and public areas, with the plan "being to create a modern stadium section running around the final corner and along the pit straight." That work will start in late '18, in preparation for the following year's grand prix. Construction of a new race control and pit lane complex will follow in '20. There are also plans for a visitors' center and museum (MOTORSPORT, 8/6).