New track Balaton the next destination for the Honda HRC team
The Honda HRC team is on site at Balaton Park in Hungary, ready for the challenge that this brand-new circuit represents. Balaton is the stage for the eighth Superbike World Championship round of the 2025 season.
Riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona come to Hungary off the back of a rather challenging UK round at Donington Park. The British track has traditionally been a tricky one for the CBR1000RR-R, but the team worked hard across the weekend, enabling the riders to secure valuable points and move up one position each in the overall standings.
The factory pair now place seventh and eighth in the championships, both holding 90 points as they look ahead to the upcoming Hungarian round. Along with most of the SBK field, Lecuona and Vierge were able to complete a brief test session at Balaton Park in June. The test allowed them to get an initial feel for the track and its layout, although both riders came away with mixed feelings.
This is the first time the Balaton Park Circuit will stage the production-derived championship, as original plans to host a round in 2024 had to be postponed due to the ongoing works. Only inaugurated in May 2023, the new circuit’s facilities include 48 pit garages, VIP areas and lounges, a media centre, medical centre, and two additional support paddock areas. The track measures 4.075 km in length and comprises six right turns and ten left turns.
Weekend schedule (CEST):
Friday
10.20 – 11.05 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2
Saturday
9.00 – 9.20 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.00 – 11.15 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1
Sunday
9.00 – 9.10 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2
Xavi Vierge 97
“Balaton is a new track for everyone. We completed a few laps there with a stock Fireblade, which will definitely help, as it gave us the chance to see the layout and at least know what to expect. When a track is new, it’s always both a challenge and an opportunity, so let’s try to put the emphasis on the latter, give it our best, and aim to complete a good weekend.”
Iker Lecuona 7
“We come to Balaton after a demanding race weekend in the UK, and we now expect another tough one albeit for different reasons. What we took from Donington anyway is that if we stay focused and work in the right way, we can really make the most of our current bike setup, no matter the conditions. We need to keep the same mindset in Hungary because, honestly, I don’t really like the track. We did a short test there with the stock CBR, and I feel that adapting the Superbike to that layout will be challenging. Having said that, it will be the same for everyone, so we’ll try to manage it in the best way and keep pushing to continue the positive working trend we’ve had over the last few rounds.”
Location Information
Balaton Park Circuit – Hungary Balaton Park Circuit is set to make its WorldSBK debut in July 2025, marking the return of the championship to Hungary after a 35-year absence since the last race at the Hungaroring in 1990. Situated near Lake Balaton, the circuit opened in 2023 and has… read more.
| POLE POSITION | LEFT |
| LENGHT | 4.115 km |
| CORNERS | 16 |
| RIGHT CORNERS | 6 |
| LEFT CORNERS | 10 |
Records
| Pole Record | New Circuit |
| Race Record | New Circuit |
| All Time Record | New Circuit |
| 2025 Race 1 Winner | New Circuit |
| 2025 Superpole Race Winner | New Circuit |
| 2025 Race 1 Winner | New Circuit |
