Hungaroring finalizes work on its new main straight
With less than two months ahead of this season's Hungarian Grand Prix, the main straight of the Hungaroring has received a new asphalt surface over a length of 620 metres, covering a total of 8,866 square metres.
Teams and fans will encounter a very different Hungaroring when the 4.3km circuit hosts this year's Hungarian Grand Prix at the beginning of August.
The Hungarian track began the most significant reconstruction and modernisation of its history after last year's Hungarian Grand Prix, and the process has entered its final phase. The entire main building was demolished and a new, modern facility has been created that hosts the teams' garages and the Hungaroring's offices.
Moreover, the main grandstand was also completely demolished in order to create space for a new facility. The main entrance has also been renovated while the main straight has been resurfaced.
Although the classic layout of the Hungaroring will remain unchanged, the asphalt surface of the main straight has been upgraded for this year’s race to ensure that the track meets the highest international standards, just as it has in previous years.
On Tuesday, three ‘finishers’ working side by side, laid the wearing course on the main straight – in total, 860 tonnes of a specially designed mix containing bitumen with a higher softening point were used. These machines were fed by two so-called "beschikers" to minimise longitudinal waves and ensure a consistent texture.
Explaining the process, a statement from the Hungaroring read: "The composition of the mix had already been defined by SWIETELSKY’s experts, and this year a large-scale trial installation was carried out, as due to the special requirements, it was crucial to lay the mix in the shortest possible time.
"Preparation (mopping up of the existing wearing course) took two days, and the asphalting itself was completed in a single day, with technical support provided by Italian specialists from Dromo, the same team who assisted last year with resurfacing above the tunnels.
"The newly resurfaced main straight will first be tested in race conditions by the GT Open drivers, followed by the Formula 1 field and support race participants during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend."
