Grapevine: Hungary to Hold Charity Match

Organizers expect some 20,000 people to attend the charity match, as the international club of the racing drivers, the famous Nazionale Piloti takes on a Hungarian All Stars team in Budapest's Ferenc Pusk?s Stadium on July 27.

"I'm very happy that this event will finally take place in Hungary, because I've been talking to the Italian leaders of the team for a long time about it," Zsolt Baumgartner, one of the usual players in the drivers team, told a news conference on Monday.

"Last weekend I've been to Magny-Cours, where I discussed this with some drivers, and everyone said how happy they were to play in Hungary."

The proceeds of the match will go in full to three charitable trusts: the UNESCO-Kinder in NOT, as well as the SOS Children's Village Association of Hungary and the Saint Francis Foundation of Deva in Transsylvania, both of which provide safe environment for children without parental care.

"This event will be both unique and unforgattable for the kids, since their very heroes will play to help them," Krisztina Mina of SOS Children's Village Association said. "The money will go to the children's villages, where kids live in 10-12 family homes under professional supervision."

In order to encourage local fans to attend the event, ticket prices have been kept at a low 600 HUF (less than $3 USD), although more expensive tickets, costing only 1600 HUF ($7.75 USD), are also available.

The match, to be broadcast live by Hungary's Duna Television, will feature some of the current drivers - including seven-times World Champion Michael Schumacher, Italy's Giangarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi, Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa.

Former Minardi driver Baumgartner as well as veterans Riccardo Patrese and Ivan Capelli will also play in the Nazionale Piloti.

The team, led by Schumacher and regularly taking part in charity events, played eight matches in 2004, taking five victories.