Photo: Ducati Lenovo Team
Ducati prepares for Hungary return with a private test at the Balaton Park circuit
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Ducati riders are getting ready for MotoGP’s return to Hungary. They took part in a private test at Balaton Park, the new track that will host the race from 22 to 24 August. Marc Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia and other Ducati riders used the test to learn the circuit and get back into racing mode
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MotoGP is heading back to Hungary for the first time in over 30 years, and the riders are already preparing for a new challenge at Balaton Park. The race will take place from 22–24 August, making it Round 14 of the 2025 season.
It also marks a new era for Hungary, as the last MotoGP races were in 1990 and 1992 (then known as the 500cc class). They were held at the Hungaroring. MotoGP legends like Mick Doohan and Eddie Lawson were the only winners of the Hungarian Grand Prix in the top class so far, yet that will soon change.
Now, MotoGP is returning to the country with a brand-new circuit. Balaton Park was previously a reserve circuit but has recently been upgraded to meet MotoGP standards. It’s a shorter track with an anticlockwise layout, which will give an advantage to riders like Marc Marquez, who is known for his skill in left-hand corners.
As it was already mentioned, some riders are already preparing for the debut race. For example, Ducati held a private test at Balaton Park on Tuesday 5 August. All six of its MotoGP riders attended the test, along with test rider Michele Pirro. Marc Marquez joined his teammate Francesco Bagnaia, the Gresini duo Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer, and the VR46 duo Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio.
The test also marked an early end to the riders’ summer holiday. The riders trained using the Ducati Panigale V4 bikes. However, it was also a special day for Morbidelli, who returned to riding after he missed the last two races due to an elbow injury from a crash in Germany.
Marc and Bagnaia completed about 70 laps each, giving strong early feedback to the team before the racing restarts next week.
MotoGP test bikes have already ridden at Balaton Park before. In June, Michelin organised a test there for factory testers, including KTM’s Pol Espargaro, who described the track as fun and similar to Sachsenring in Germany, not very long but good once riders get used to it. He also added that the safety standards seem solid.
So with MotoGP visiting the circuit for the first time, some riders have a strong history of winning. Marc Marquez, for example, leads the way with three wins at brand-new tracks. Yet Miguel Oliveira is another rider known for adapting quickly, as he won the first-ever MotoGP races at Portimao in 2020 and Mandalika in 2022, making him another rider to watch in Hungary.
