2006 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2006) was a Formula One motor race held on 6 August 2006 at the Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary. It was the 13th race of the 2006 Formula One season. Jenson Button won the race driving a Honda, the first victory of his career, the first race win for a British driver since David Coulthard won the Australian Grand Prix three years previously, and the first by an Englishman since Johnny Herbert won the 1999 European Grand Prix nearly seven years previously, in similarly changeable weather circumstances. Pedro de la Rosa finished second for McLaren-Mercedes, the only podium finish of his career, and Nick Heidfeld finished third, giving BMW Sauber their first podium.
| 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 13 of 18 in the 2006 Formula One World Championship | |||
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The Hungaroring after being modified in 2003. | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 6 August 2006 | ||
| Official name | Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2006 | ||
| Location | Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.381 km (2.722 miles) | ||
| Distance | 70 laps, 306.663 km (190.552 miles) | ||
| Weather | Cool and rainy with temperatures reaching up to 20 °C (68 °F) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Time | 1:19.599 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:23.516 on lap 65 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Honda | ||
| Second |
| McLaren-Mercedes | |
| Third | BMW Sauber | ||
|
Lap leaders | |||
It was the first win for Honda as a constructor since John Surtees' victory in the 1967 Italian Grand Prix 39 years prior, the first win for a Honda engine since Gerhard Berger's full-works Honda-powered McLaren triumphed in the 1992 Australian Grand Prix, 14 years and 231 races earlier and the first win for a non-European constructor since Jody Scheckter won with Canadian team Wolf in the 1977 Canadian Grand Prix. The race would also prove to be Honda's only win in their second stint in Formula One as a full constructor, ending in late 2008 after Honda decided to pull out of F1 after the Global Financial Crisis.
It was the last victory for a Honda engine in Formula One until Max Verstappen won the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix for Red Bull. It was also the last victory for Honda as a full constructor entry in Formula One to date. It was also the last all-Michelin podium to date.