Construction of Balaton Park Circuit began in 2019. The circuit is privately owned by a group of investors led by former racing driver Chanoch Nissany, with the secondary objective of providing a dedicated test facility for Nissan. The project was funded entirely through the investors' own equity, with no bank or external financing involved.
The track spans 4.115 km in length and varies in width between 12 and 15 metres. Its full layout comprises 16 corners — six right-hand and ten left-hand turns. Supporting infrastructure includes 48 pit garages, VIP areas and lounges, a media centre, a medical centre, and two additional paddock support areas. Timing and safety systems include Tecpro barriers and MyLaps technology with GPS and LED panels.
In September 2023, plans were announced to include Balaton Park in the Superbike World Championship calendar for 2024, with the circuit also designated as a reserve venue for the MotoGP World Championship. The first World Superbike round was confirmed for August 2024, but was subsequently replaced by a round at Circuito do Estoril in June 2024 due to ongoing construction works at the venue.
In September 2024, it was confirmed that Balaton Park would host both a MotoGP Grand Prix and a World Superbike round in 2025, marking Hungary's return to Grand Prix motorcycle racing for the first time since 1992. To meet the safety requirements of these events, significant circuit modifications were carried out. Turns 6 and 7 — previously a double-apex corner — were redesigned as two doglegs connected by a short straight; Turn 11 was converted from a dogleg to a chicane; and Turns 13, 14, and 15 were reconfigured to increase the distance between the racing surface and the barriers. Under this revised motorcycle layout, the circuit length is 4.075 km, while the original Grand Prix layout was retained for car racing.
Ahead of the circuit's World Superbike debut in July 2025, a test session was held on 22 June 2025, attended by several WorldSBK riders including Honda HRC's Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. The test gave the paddock its first competitive experience of the Hungarian venue.
In late June 2025, test riders from five MotoGP manufacturers — Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Ducati, and Aprilia — conducted sessions at Balaton Park ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Participants included Augusto Fernández (Yamaha), Michele Pirro (Ducati), Pol Espargaró (KTM), Stefan Bradl (Honda), and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia).
In August 2025, Ducati organised a private test at the circuit involving Marc Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia, Alex Márquez, Fermin Aldeguer, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Franco Morbidelli, alongside test rider Michele Pirro. The test, conducted on the Ducati Panigale V4S, served as preparation for the Hungarian Grand Prix held on 22–24 August 2025.
Since opening, Balaton Park Circuit has hosted a range of national and international series. Current events on the calendar include the Superbike World Championship, the Supersport World Championship, the FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship, the FIM R3 bLU cRU World Cup, and the Hungarian Motorcycle Grand Prix under MotoGP. Earlier events at the circuit included the Ferrari Challenge Europe, Formula 4 CEZ Championship, GT Cup Series, Histo-Cup Austria, MotoE World Championship, Porsche Sprint Challenge Central Europe, and TCR Eastern Europe and TCR European Endurance series.
Balaton Park represents Hungary's most significant motorsport infrastructure investment in decades. With its FIA Grade 1 certification and successful integration into both the WorldSBK and MotoGP calendars from 2025, the circuit has established itself as a credible venue on the European and international motorcycle racing circuit, while also maintaining its role as a test facility for manufacturers.
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