Hungaroring, World Series by Renault (WSR) 2009 - Mogyoród, Hungary

Location:

GPS coordinates: Latitude 47°34'52", Longitude 19°15'8" (N47 34.87 - E19 15.13) Map

Metal sculpture of Ferenc Szisz at the main gate of Hungaroring

Ferenc Szisz was a Hungarian-born French mechanical engineer (by the way, his ancestors were Transylvanian Saxons). He won the first ever Grand Prix race in 1906, driving a Renault AK 90CV sportscar. Ferenc Szisz was the testing engineer of the Renault automobile factory, and that's how he came into contact with the auto racing. He excelled also in the development, his most important invention was the first controlled auto ignition (CAI) engine in the world, as well as a pneumatic actuator (a starting-gear using compressed air) to replace the starting-handle (crank) in the cars. Ferenc Szisz was a national hero in France, where his memory is preserved with a number of monuments and even with a museum.

In Hungary there is this statue of him from 2003, as well as unofficially the first right corner of the Hungaroring race track is named after him. Also there is a monument and a memorial exhibition of him in Szeghalom town.