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Turn 1 at the Hungaroring has been partially resurfaced overnight after drivers reported severe bumps, low grip and breaking asphalt during the opening day of practice for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Some sections of the circuit had already been resurfaced within the past two years, but the hot, dry summer is understood to have caused subsurface settlement. That movement worsened the bumps, while the surface also began to open up in several places, most notably at Turns 1, 12 and 13.
The problem was particularly significant at Turn 1. Drivers could alter their line through the final corner to avoid the damaged section, but Turn 1 is a key overtaking point and the asphalt was breaking up directly on the racing line. The issue had reportedly first been noticed during the International GT Open meeting two weekends earlier.
George Russell described the circuit as unusually difficult after practice. “Budapest is an amazing track to drive but they've resurfaced half of the track, super bumpy, a lot of it's breaking up around the last couple of corners, which is making it quite strange to drive on.”
Pirelli said measured grip levels on Wednesday were lower than expected and below last year’s figure. That lack of grip proved especially demanding for drivers who missed FP1 while their teams completed mandatory rookie sessions.
Oscar Piastri was among those affected after Leonardo Fornaroli drove his McLaren in the opening session. “The new parts of the track are not very grippy and they're kind of not breaking apart but they're very worn,” Piastri said. “So, it's just a very challenging circuit at the moment and, yeah, obviously missing a practice session has made it pretty tough.”
Franco Colapinto paid the immediate price in FP2, crashing at Turn 12, one of the resurfaced areas that proved unexpectedly slippery. The incident underlined how quickly track evolution and inconsistent surface behaviour could punish drivers still building a reference point.
For wider context ahead of the weekend, the circuit’s layout and expected conditions were outlined in our 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix preview.
With Turn 1’s overtaking relevance making the damage a priority, the FIA directed that repairs be completed before FP3 and qualifying. The affected sections were patched overnight.
“It was inspected and remedial works were undertaken overnight,” the FIA said. “Two areas were addressed, one online and one to the right of the line where an overtaking car would travel.”
The repairs will give teams a more consistent surface to assess before Saturday’s decisive sessions, although grip and tyre behaviour remain central uncertainties after an unexpectedly difficult opening day.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.