Fans hardly need to be told just how much drivers long to get their hands on the Hungarian Grand Prix trophies. For many years now, the top three finishers have been rewarded with creations from the Herend Porcelain Manufactory, which rank among the most exceptional pieces of the entire season. Crafting these awards, however, involves a tremendous amount of work, and it’s no coincidence that they are so valuable.
Author: Tamás Szikora
A 200-year-old tradition comes to life at the 40-year-old Hungaroring
While the racetrack in Mogyoród has been home to the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix and numerous prestigious international races for exactly four decades, the Herend Porcelain Manufactory is celebrating its 200th anniversary. Founded in 1826, the manufactory is now not only synonymous with handcrafted porcelain but has also become part of Hungary’s cultural heritage. This is one of the reasons why the trophies they create are such a perfect fit for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Just as teams strive for perfection on the racetrack and drivers must demonstrate tremendous precision, these values are also reflected in the products of this iconic brand.
Although there were periods when various sponsors awarded trophies to the winner and podium finishers, the histories of Herend and the Hungarian Grand Prix have long been intertwined. It was Jenson Button who, in 2006, won one of the Grand Prix’s most memorable races and received this special porcelain trophy as a reward for his first career victory. Since then, with a few brief interruptions, the Herend Porcelain Manufactory has generally produced the trophies for the podium finishers, which the drivers themselves consider among the most special. This is no coincidence, as it is not only the appearance of these trophies that makes them special.
Their value stems, among other things, from the fact that they are handmade, taking several months to achieve their final form and appearance, while drawing inspiration from elements of Hungarian folk art. Not to mention that every phase of the production process was carried out using the Herend Porcelain Manufactory’s traditional artisanal techniques. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind work of art, including the trophies set to be awarded in 2026, which are all distinct from one another. The trophies’ rankings were highlighted in a unique way.
The trophy for first place is gold, the second-place award is platinum, and the one for third place is accented with bronze tones. According to the manufactory’s announcement, the piece created for the winner is 53 centimetres tall and weighs 3 kilograms, with its decoration based on Herend’s iconic Hungarian-style gold ornamentation. Of course, the winning design team was not forgotten either; the top team receives an openwork porcelain bowl measuring 520 millimetres in diameter and weighing 4 kilograms. Interestingly, the trophy for the runner-up is made of platinum rather than silver because, unlike silver, platinum does not oxidise.
The special relationship between Herend and F1
Several events over the past decade or so have further boosted the reputation of the Herend Porcelain Manufactory. Sebastian Vettel triumphed in the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix driving a Ferrari, but the simpler metal trophy did not really win his approval. His complaints quickly made their way through the global press, but in the end, he was surprised with a smaller Herend trophy. This clearly demonstrated that there is a demand for legendary works of art, a sentiment further reinforced when, later on, many others spoke out about the sponsor-provided trophies used in several countries and the often unremarkable awards.
However, this is just one of the stories that highlighted the connection between the manufactory and the sport. In 2023, Max Verstappen won the race held at the Hungaroring, but while celebrating with champagne on the podium, Lando Norris, who had finished in second place, accidentally shattered the Dutch driver’s one-of-a-kind porcelain trophy with a clumsy move. Everyone could see how a trophy worth 15 million forints—which had been crafted by roughly thirty artisans over the course of about half a year—was shattered. In the end, the story concluded with the fact that, since Herend offers a lifetime replacement guarantee for these pieces and the trophy’s design was still available, a new one was produced within a few weeks. They personally delivered it to Verstappen at the time, and Norris was also present at the handover, which made the footage of the event even more widely shared.
Partly as a result of this, the idea arose for Norris to race in Hungary in 2024 wearing a hand-painted Herend-style helmet created in collaboration with the manufactory. Through these stories, in response to a question from Totalcar in early July of this year, it was revealed that both Sebastian Vettel and Lando Norris had been elected honorary members of the Herend Porcelain Manufactory; moreover, a few years ago, the McLaren driver even spent a short time at the painting tables. We eagerly await seeing how the unique story of F1, the Hungarian Grand Prix, and Herend porcelain will unfold starting in 2026.
If you missed it: 40 years without a break: Remarkable statistics from the Hungarian Grand Prix
