Everything is coming together at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in anticipation of it being available for limited use in June this year.

With the announcement that Hampton Downs is the preferred venue for the scheduled New Zealand A1GP round in November, the focus of the management is to make sure the complex is ready to host such an important and prestigious event.

“The whole Hampton Downs Motorsport Park complex is very much a “work in progress” project. We can’t wave a magic wand and have the whole place up and going in its entirety in a couple of months,” says Tony Roberts, managing director of Hampton Downs Motorsport Park. “However, we can concentrate on the sections of the complex that will enable us to have it operating as a fully compliant race track. The summer weather has helped us focus on the major earthworks that are the foundation of the operational side of the circuit, and that is our absolute priority now to get the basic ‘national’ circuit up and running by some point in June. Once that is done, we can then get the full international circuit finished off in time for an event such as the A1GP round.”

Roberts says he has had many enquiries and comments from “passers-by enthusiasts” who can’t see much happening from State Highway 1 and are suspecting that the current economic climate has cut off funding to continue the work on the complex.

“I am very pleased to assure enthusiasts and interested people and companies, that the Bank of New Zealand continues its ongoing funding for the project and has just confirmed funding for a further $19 million which will see an operational international circuit, bridge, corporate pavilion, SUV course, skid-pan, pit paddock, telecommunications, power, wastewater, drainage, car parks, three-laning of Hampton Downs road, industrial buildings, business park development, being completed.

“Having been involved from the beginning, BNZ have a very good understanding of the Motorsport Park,” says Roberts.

The fickle northern Waikato weather, with its almost daily dose of showers this ‘summer’ has made some of the summer earthworks a challenge, but Roberts is confident that the basic circuit will be ready for use in June.

“It may not be quite ready on June 1, but the 2.8km national circuit will be ready during June. We are currently digging out the ground for the under-track tunnel, and the concrete liners for the tunnel are in place. That should be ready by the end of March and then we move to completing the 2.8km track over the top of the tunnel. The pit/operational/corporate area inside the track is now cleared and ready for sealing and appropriate buildings to be constructed. Already we are preparing the rest of the national circuit, removing the pre-load, metalling it and then sealing it. At the same time, we have all the Armco, tyre barriers, mesh fencing, concrete curbing etc on site and as soon as the basic track configuration is settled, all these things can be quickly installed.

“We are currently removing the pre-load from Turn Nine (the corner nearest to SH1) and shifting this to form the basis of the kart track which is below the apartments, alongside SH1.

“From State Highway One I know it looks as though all we have done is built some apartments. We have done that and they will be ready for occupation in a couple of weeks. However the main circuit and especially the operational hub of it, is not visible from the main highway and that is where all the work has been going on over the summer months. We are on schedule for completing the national circuit in June, and after that the full international circuit and amenities. There is no problem with funding – the only complication may be if we have a very wet autumn,” says Roberts.

[source: nzracer.com]