F1 in Hungary: Please stop saying Monaco without the walls

First built during the Communist era, the Hungaroring just got a brand-new pit building (which you can see the back of) and main grandstand (not pictured). Credit: Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Formula 1 teams can start their annual summer break today. Sometime this month, each of the 10 teams has to close its factory for 14 consecutive days. Laptops stay in the office, email goes unchecked. It all sounds very civilized for a sport where the difference between hero and zero can come down to milliseconds. As was the case at this past weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, at least in qualifying.

When the Hungaroring was added to the calendar back in 1986, it was F1's first true foray behind the Iron Curtain. Just 2.7 miles (4.3 km) long, the layout features a lot of medium-speed corners one after another that make overtaking more than ...