Termas de Río Hondo is a spa and resort town known principally for its thermal baths. The decision to construct a permanent motorsport facility there was part of broader regional infrastructure investment; the circuit opened in 2008 and quickly began hosting established Argentine national series. As built, the layout offered a varied mix of high-speed and technical sections suited to multiple categories.
In 2012 the circuit underwent a complete overhaul and reconstruction under the direction of Jarno Zaffelli, whose firm Dromo has been responsible for significant redesign work at a number of international venues. The rebuild was carried out in anticipation of attracting major FIM and FIA sanctioned events, and the resulting facility met the standards required for top-level international homologation.
The circuit's most significant achievement was the return of Grand Prix motorcycle racing to Argentina after a fifteen-year absence. The Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix was awarded to Río Hondo and was initially scheduled for 2013, but a dispute arose when the Argentine government nationalized the local subsidiary of Repsol, the Spanish oil company that sponsors Honda's MotoGP factory team. Concerns for the safety of the Repsol Honda team in the Argentine political climate forced a one-year postponement, and the race debuted in 2014. It was held again in 2015, and the event became a regular fixture on the MotoGP calendar through 2019 before a hiatus and resumptions in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
The circuit also served as a test venue: in 2013 the first official MotoGP and Moto2 pre-season tests in Argentina were held at Río Hondo, signaling the facility's readiness before the race was formally announced for the following year.
In 2013 the World Touring Car Championship visited the circuit for rounds 15 and 16 of the season — the FIA WTCC Race of Argentina — bringing a second major international series to the venue in its first year of upgraded operation. The WTCC continued to visit through 2017.
On 6 February 2021, fire destroyed the circuit's pit buildings in an event that caused no human casualties but left the facility's operational infrastructure heavily damaged. The grandstand, media centre, and pit garages required full reconstruction. The works were completed ahead of the 2022 Argentine Republic motorcycle Grand Prix, allowing the venue to resume international-level hosting.
In March 2023, Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles and vice-president Michael Montri visited Río Hondo to inspect the facility and assess the feasibility of hosting a future IndyCar Series race, reflecting the circuit's ongoing ambition to attract North American open-wheel competition.
Beyond its international programme, the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo has been a consistent host for Argentine national championships. Events have included rounds of the TC2000 Championship, Top Race V6, Turismo Nacional, Turismo Carretera, Turismo Pista, Fórmula Nacional Argentina, Formula 4 Sudamericana, Porsche Cup Brasil, Porsche GT3 Cup Trophy Argentina, and the TCR South America Touring Car Championship, making the circuit a regular presence in the South American domestic racing calendar across multiple disciplines and eras.