Inside the high-octane after-party where Formula 1’s inner circle comes to unwind.
Formula 1 weekends rarely end when the chequered flag falls. By Sunday night, the garages may be closing and the paddock may be emptying, but in cities across the calendar, another part of the Grand Prix atmosphere is only just beginning. In Budapest, that role has increasingly belonged to GR1D CLUB.
Founded in 2013, the Formula 1 focused after-party series has built its reputation around selected race weekends including Miami, Barcelona, Budapest, Milan and Mexico City, combining nightlife, hospitality and the wider social world that now surrounds modern Formula 1. With Formula 1 preparing to debut in Madrid in 2026, GR1D CLUB is also set to expand into the Spanish capital as part of its growing global presence.
Over the years, the Budapest edition has quietly become one of the event’s standout destinations. Hosted at FELIX Kitchen & Bar following the Hungarian Grand Prix, GR1D CLUB attracts a mix that reflects the modern identity of Formula 1 itself: drivers, team members, sponsors, celebrities, business figures and guests from across the paddock world. Previous editions have included appearances from names such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, alongside figures from music, film and fashion.
Yet the appeal of the event has never really been about celebrity appearances alone. What separates GR1D CLUB from a traditional race-weekend party is the atmosphere around it. The evening begins more like a private gathering than a nightclub, with cocktail receptions and hospitality lounges gradually giving way to a full Sunday-night celebration after the race.
That balance feels increasingly relevant in Formula 1’s current era. The sport today exists far beyond the circuit itself. Grand Prix weekends have increasingly evolved into cultural events where luxury, entertainment, business and nightlife overlap naturally. Across the calendar, hospitality experiences, fashion events and private gatherings now form part of the wider Formula 1 ecosystem almost as much as the racing itself.
Budapest has gradually woven itself into the fabric of that landscape. Much of the appeal lies in the timing. The Hungarian Grand Prix arrives in the middle of the European summer, at a point in the season where the paddock atmosphere often feels more relaxed compared to some of Formula 1’s more corporate weekends. By Sunday evening, much of the travelling Formula 1 world remains in the city, creating an atmosphere that feels closer to a reunion than a conventional post-race event.
FELIX Kitchen & Bar provides a fitting setting. Located beside the Danube in the heart of Budapest, the venue has become one of the city’s best-known upscale destinations in recent years. During Grand Prix weekend, however, the atmosphere changes entirely. The terraces fill with international guests, post-race conversations continue long into the night and the venue briefly becomes an extension of the paddock itself.
The event has also evolved alongside Formula 1’s changing audience. Modern Grand Prix culture increasingly blends sport with entertainment, fashion, music and business networking. Events such as GR1D CLUB have become part of that wider environment rather than simply existing beside it.
Still, beyond the guest lists and luxury details, the concept succeeds because it understands something simple about Formula 1 culture: after an intense race weekend, people rarely want the atmosphere to end immediately.
That may explain why the GR1D CLUB has retained its status as a cornerstone of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend for over a decade. Long after the podium celebrations fade, Formula 1’s inner circle continues to gravitate toward the city’s most exclusive Sunday night tradition.
