After building a fortune in the oil industry, Klaas Zwart became deeply involved in motorsport. He competed in the British GT Championship, finishing third in 1995, and won the EuroBOSS series championship in 2003, 2006, and 2007. He purchased the Ascari Cars marque in 1999, and the challenge of finding a safe place to drive supercars at speed led him to acquire land near Ronda in the southern Spanish interior.
Construction began in 2000 on what was formerly a sheep farm, approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) from Ronda. The site sits between hills and a military training base, making noise impact minimal. Zwart personally designed the circuit layout to follow the existing natural contours of the terrain. The track was completed in 2003.
The circuit is 12.2 m (40 ft) wide and features 26 curves, many of which are deliberately modelled on famous corners from other tracks around the world. Elevation changes are pronounced, with ascending and descending grades of up to 12% and banked turns of up to 18%. This combination of gradient and varied corner geometry makes it a demanding technical challenge despite its private membership status.
Because of its secluded location, the resort became a favoured venue for European car manufacturers conducting product launches. Visitors can rent cars at the facility, ranging from race-prepared production sports cars to former Formula 1 machines.
In addition to the circuit, the clubhouse includes a restaurant and a pool designed to reflect the style of a Spanish villa.
After the track opened, Zwart made 500 memberships available to wealthy motorsports enthusiasts. Notable members included Martin Brundle, Christian Danner, Jay Kay, and Dolph Lundgren.
The overall circuit record of 1:38.46 was set by Klaas Zwart himself in 2019, driving an ex-Formula 1 Jaguar R5 from the 2004 season. The record for road-going vehicles belongs to Pål Pettersen Berg, who set a time of 2:14.078 in a Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991.2) in 2020.
In March 2022, CEO Jesús Gijón confirmed that two companies — one from Switzerland and one from Argentina — had purchased the Ascari site from Zwart. The new owners expressed concern about proposed photovoltaic energy developments in the surrounding area, warning that they could cause irreparable damage to the local landscape and environment.
Sony Computer Entertainment used Ronda and the Ascari resort as the location to launch Gran Turismo 6 in 2013. The circuit is a playable track in that game.
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