2027 MotoGP calendar: The outlook is bleak for the Hungarian Grand Prix

There were high hopes for the ‘Balaton Park Circuit’ project, situated right on the shores of Lake Balaton. Built with great enthusiasm within sight of this major leisure and holiday destination, the new circuit was intended to pave the way for a long-term Hungarian Grand Prix. Thanks to a dynamic approach and substantial budgets, the organisers succeeded in bringing the two most important formats in road racing to the region.

In the summer of 2025, the Superbike World Championship made its debut, and just weeks later the MotoGP circus moved into the brand-new facility. Despite clear criticisms of the layout – in particular, Turn 1, which was deemed tricky by the riders – the new circuit established itself on the calendar from a purely sporting perspective.

Balaton Park Circuit: Too few fans at Lake Balaton

From a commercial perspective, after two years it is clear that the circuit cannot meet MotoGP’s marketing requirements. Too small, not glamorous enough and, the decisive factor – too few spectators. The 80,000 or so fans who watched the Hungarian GP live over three days last June do not fit with the long-term vision for this global spectacle. The situation is comparable to that of the Australian Grand Prix. Despite its iconic status, here too there is a mismatch between future plans and the reality of the event. The contracts with Phillip Island and Balaton Park were not renewed.

From a pan-Hungarian perspective, this is a manageable scenario, as the long-term plan envisaged a move to Budapest in any case. After all, the Hungaroring already provides a racing venue capable of accommodating large crowds. Following the example of Formula 1, which has attracted around 300,000 fans in recent years, MotoGP was also set to follow suit. Discussions on this were already underway in 2025, but negotiations have stalled, partly due to the new political balance of power in the country.

The potential at the Hungaroring is certainly there

In a one-on-one interview with SPEEDWEEK.com, Carlos Ezpeleta confirmed the fundamental interest in the Hungarian Grand Prix and, in particular, in Budapest as the venue. “We are in contact with the organisers and, looking to the longer term, we see greater potential at the Hungaroring for hosting the Hungarian Grand Prix.”

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However, a swift move from Lake Balaton to the capital is not possible. As reported on several occasions by SPEEDWEEK.com, the switch to the Hungaroring is being held up by the lack of MotoGP homologation. The necessary investment, running into the high double-digit millions, has not been approved by the state for the circuit’s own operations. A return of MotoGP – the last time the GP heroes raced in front of fans in Budapest was in 1992 – would require not only a great deal of money but also a great deal of time – time that the MotoGP management does not have with 2027 on the horizon.

MotoGP-Manager Carlos Ezpeleta ist auch für den GP-Kalender verantwortlich

Foto: Gold and Goose

Carlos Ezpeleta: “In our discussions with the government, we are trying to understand what the timetable is for adapting the Hungaroring. As things stand, however, it looks like a very big challenge, as we are already on the verge of finalising the 2027 calendar. As I said, we are interested, but the situation means we have to think about Hungary more in the long term. It’s likely to be very difficult for 2027.”

Argentina in – Hungary out

Whilst this is not formally a definitive cancellation, it leaves little doubt that Hungary will be dropped from the 2027 MotoGP calendar. For the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, however, this is not a problem in the short term. This is because, in order to stage the agreed 22 MotoGP events, they would in any case have had to rule out an existing venue. The background to this is that a second South American event – in Buenos Aires, Argentina – is set to be added in 2027.

Should the Hungarian government, however, release the funds for modernising the circuit in Budapest – thereby making the prospect of a major MotoGP spectacle in Hungary a realistic possibility once more – negotiations for a Grand Prix could pick up momentum again.