The Euroformula Open is ready for one of its most popular summer events: the Hungaroring. The Magyar track in the outskirts of magnificent Budapest is always one of the ‘hottest’ stops in the calendar, in all the meanings of the term. The 4.381 km track, known for not allowing easily overtaking moves, always delivers great racing and always attracts a lot of fans.
The Hungaroring that will welcome the Euroformula Open is a completely different one. While the layout has not changed, everything else is new and grandiose. All premises were torn down and rebuilt, with a spectacular new box building and tower, a new paddock, and new hospitality area, fan zones and grandstand. The Euroformula Open will inaugurate the new premises one month ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Local fans are eager to discover the new structure and will have a local hero to cheer, as Benjamin Berta is the latest addition to the entry list, joining BVM Racing for the occasion. The 21-year-old has a solid experience with F.3-level machinery and is not a new face in the Euroformula, as he took part to its home round in 2022 and 2023.
The fourth round of the season will of course be of crucial importance for the championship, as it will close the first part of the season, where the games are totally open.
Yevan David (Motopark) is leading the standings with 163 points, after netting four wins, three other podium finishes and one pole. The Sri Lankan’s consistency and effectiveness has been remarkable so far.
A new second in the standings after Hockenheim is Michael Shin (Motopark), only 18 points behind, thanks to his consistency that has earned him one win and five second positions.
The other main title contender is Tymek Kucharczyk (BVM Racing), with the young Pole having impressed everyone by his speed, although he still needs to find the right consistency. So far, he has taken two wins, two other podium finishes and two poles.
Completing nicely the top five are two other strong front-runners. Briton Ed Pearson has given Nielsen Racing, the British team debuting this year in the series, its first EFO win and three other podium finishes, confirming his great talent.
José Garfias (Motopark) completes the top five. The Mexican has seized in Germany a well-deserved maiden win, which certainly will boost his onfidence.
There are more drivers in the field eager to express their talent. At Motopark, Brazilian son-of-art Fernando Barrichello is always a candidate to victory while his teammate, Mexico’s Diego de la Torre has progressed rapidly to conquer his first podium finish at Spa.
Racing on the weekend of 4th of July, US racers Everett Stack (Motopark) and Shawn Rashid, (Nielsen Racing) will certainly have an extra motivation to shine, with Briton Finn Green (Nielsen Racing) also in constant progress, and Gold Cup ace Paolo Brajnik (NV Racing) now closer to fight with his much younger opponents.
At the Hungaroring, the entertaining race programme also includes the International GT Open, the Porsche Cup Benelux and two other singleseater series, the FRECA and GB3.