The project was conceived by two motorsport enthusiasts, Tony Roberts and Chris Watson, who purchased two dairy farms from Envirowaste in December 2003. Securing resource consent proved lengthy due to concerns from Transit NZ and the Corrections Department — a nearby prison lies 2 km from the site — over traffic, litter, and odour. To fund construction, Roberts and Watson introduced the novel concept of trackside residential apartments, drawing inspiration from developments alongside golf courses. All 80 apartments sold out within five weeks in 2006, generating $26 million toward the project.
Construction began in February 2007. Some sections of the circuit were built on swampy ground, requiring modern pre-loading technology from engineers Fraser Thomas Ltd to stabilise the land. Earthworks were carried out by Ross Reid Ltd using laser-controlled graders to ensure accuracy. A particularly wet winter pushed the opening from late 2008 to October 2009. In January 2010 the circuit was officially opened by Waikato District Mayor Peter Harris at the Bruce McLaren Festival.
In 2015, Tony Quinn purchased the complex and immediately began completing the circuit extension, following plans that had existed since the original design phase.
Hampton Downs comprises two independent circuits that can be combined into one. Both run clockwise over a track with a smooth surface, a mix of blind bends and crests, and significant elevation changes: the front straight rises and falls 11 metres over its 950-metre length, and the back straight runs 750 metres.
The National circuit, which uses the long front straight and pit facilities, is 2.700 km long with seven corners. The Club circuit is 1.200 km long with four corners. Combined, the two form a 3.800 km layout with six right-hand and four left-hand corners. The track was designed to FIA Level 3 standards.
Hampton Downs hosted the 2016 Hampton Downs 101 endurance race as a round of the Australian GT Championship. The New Zealand Grand Prix was held at the circuit in 2021 and 2023. The track is a regular venue for the Toyota Racing Series, with three races and the New Zealand Motor Cup contested each summer. The NZ Touring Car Championship, the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, and the Bridgestone GR86 Championship are among the current national series held there.
The circuit was scheduled to host a Supercars Championship round in April 2020 — the Auckland Super400, traditionally held at Pukekohe Park Raceway — but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Previous major events have included the Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific, Formula Regional Oceania Championship, and GT World Challenge Australia rounds (2016-2018 and 2025).
The 160-hectare development includes 80 trackside apartments arranged in four blocks on the main straight, hospitality suites above the pit lane, a corporate karting circuit, a business park with seven-car garage apartments, and a cafe. The Bruce McLaren Trust maintains an industrial unit at the facility housing a substantial collection of memorabilia relating to the famous New Zealand driver and McLaren F1 team founder, open for viewing on most days.
The track operates five days a week for driver training and corporate events, with Downforce and the California Superbike School among the organisations based there.
Hampton Downs was modelled in rFactor using third-party generated content based on early construction plans, making it available to sim racers before the physical circuit had fully opened. A separate 3D model featuring a BMW Formula One car was produced by Rmedia and analysed by the FIA.
Hampton Downs represents a new model for New Zealand motorsport infrastructure — privately funded, purpose-built to modern standards, and free from the constraints of circuits that share facilities with horse racing. Its combination of premium accommodation, driver training, and national championship racing has made it the country's most commercially ambitious circuit and a staging ground for some of New Zealand's highest-profile motorsport events since its opening.