.: Media Release – Grand Prix of Hungary 2026

Media Release

Variable Weather, Consistent Performance: MICHELIN Power Slick Tyres Shine at Balaton Park for the Second Consecutive Year

• MICHELIN Power Slick tyres played a key role in a perfectly controlled race weekend, delivering top-level performance throughout.
• Weather conditions evolved over the three days of track activity, but Michelin’s tyre package demonstrated outstanding versatility.
• The combination of Medium front and Soft rear compounds was widely favoured by riders for both Saturday’s Tissot Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix. However, the Medium/Medium combination also proved successful, as demonstrated by Marc Márquez, who secured his first victory of the season with Michelin.

For the second consecutive year at Balaton Park Circuit, following MotoGP’s return to Hungary after an absence of more than 30 years, Michelin Motorsport teams relied on the extensive data gathered in 2025 to develop the most relevant tyre package for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Located approximately 85 kilometres southwest of Budapest, Balaton Park Circuit was inaugurated in May 2023 and hosted MotoGP for the first time in the summer of 2025. Since last year, Turns 1 and 7 have been resurfaced, requiring a period of adaptation for riders due to the slippery nature of the new surface.

The 4.08-kilometre track combines long acceleration zones with a relatively short 665-metre straight. The main challenge therefore lay under heavy braking, where Michelin tyres once again demonstrated excellent stability. Balaton Park features 17 corners, including 10 left-hand turns, and is run in an anti-clockwise direction — a relatively uncommon characteristic on the MotoGP calendar.

Throughout the weekend, Michelin tyres delivered outstanding consistency, allowing the championship’s riders to battle relentlessly over the 13 laps of Saturday’s Sprint and the 27 laps of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Piero Taramasso, Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Competition Manager

“The weather was slightly cooler than in 2025, but given the relatively short length of the circuit and the recent nature of its asphalt, we knew tyre wear would remain limited. The compound options we offered our partners were well suited to the conditions, and we were able to observe excellent versatility as well as perfect consistency from the Soft rear tyre. Several riders selected it not only for the Tissot Sprint, but also for the Grand Prix.

At the front, the Medium tyre fulfilled its role perfectly throughout the weekend, providing stable long-distance performance and a very high level of confidence to our partners. It is no coincidence that every single rider selected it, both on Saturday and Sunday.

The Soft rear tyre, designed to cover the full Grand Prix distance, was also widely chosen. It is worth noting that while Marc Márquez won using a Medium/Medium combination, Pedro Acosta, who finished second, opted for a Medium/Soft setup.

The lap record was not broken, as conditions during qualifying were not ideal. However, the pace shown throughout the weekend and the numerous battles we witnessed — including for the lead on a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult — were particularly impressive.”

Weekend Results

On Saturday, June 6, the Tissot Sprint (13 laps) was won by pole-sitter Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing).

The following day, the Grand Prix (27 laps) was once again won by Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).

The next round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place in the Czech Republic from June 19–21 at Brno’s Automotodrom Brno.

About Michelin

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 175 countries and employs 122,600 people.

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