The title “Grand Prix” has been in existence since the very early days of motorsport.

The New Zealand Grand Prix was first contested in 1950 on the Ohakea Air Force Base circuit.

It was not held in 1951-1953 and recommenced as an annual event in 1954 at Ardmore, another airfield circuit near Auckland.

The race moved onto a permanent race track in 1963 at Pukekohe, where it remained until 1992 with the exception of the 1974 year being held in Christchurch at the Wigram Airfield as part of the Commonwealth Games.

The Motorsport Association of New Zealand Executive decided in 1992 that this premier event should be open to other permanent circuits in New Zealand to host including Manfeild, Ruapuna and Teretonga.

From 1996 to 1998 there was no contest for this event due to the demise of a New Zealand based premier single seater class.

In November 1998 the Grand Prix returned and was based on a field of the Australian Formula Holden class. This reintroduced a premier open wheel single seater class and provided an extra progression stage for the competitors. With the demise of Formula Holden as a NZ Championship at the end of the 2000/01 season the title was allocated to the Formula Ford class with which it remained for four seasons.

The introduction of the Toyota Racing Series saw the title re-allocated in the 2005/06 season to this premier NZ Championship. The current holder of the Grand Prix trophy is Nick Cassidy (pictured in 2013)

New Zealand Grand Prix Winners

OHAKEA CIRCUIT
1950 – John McMillan (NZ) – Jackson Special

ARDMORE CIRCUIT
1954 – Stan Jones (Aust) – Maybach Special
1955 – Prince B. Bira (Thailand) – Maserati
1956 – Stirling Moss (GB) – 250F Maserati
1957 – Reg Parnell (GB) – 3.5L Ferrari
1958 – Jack Brabham (Aust) – Cooper 2L
1959 – Stirling Moss (GB) – Cooper 2.5L
1960 – Jack Brabham (Aust) – Cooper 2.5L
1961 – Jack Brabham (Aust) – Cooper 2.5L
1962 – Stirling Moss (GB) – Lotus 2.5L

PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
1963 – John Surtees (GB) – Lola 2.7L
1964 – Bruce McLaren (NZ) – Cooper 2.5L
1965 – Graham Hill (GB) – Brabham 2.5L
1966 – Graham Hill (GB) – BRM 2 L
1967 – Jackie Stewart (GB) – BRM 2.2L
1968 – Chris Amon (NZ) – Ferrari 2.4L
1969 – Chris Amon (NZ) – Ferrari 2.4L
1970 – Frank Matich (Aust) – McLaren M10A 5L
1971 – Niel Allen (Aust) – McLaren M10B 5L
1972 – Frank Gardner (Aust) – Lola T300 5L
1973 – John McCormack (Aust) – Elfin 5L

WIGRAM AIRFIELD
1974 – John McCormack (Aust) – Elfin 5L

PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
1975 – Warwick Brown (Aust) – Lola TA332
1976 – Ken Smith (NZ) – Lola T332
1977 – Keke Rosberg (Finland) – Chevron B34
1978 – Keke Rosberg (Finland) – Chevron B34
1979 – Teo Fabi (Italy) – March 79
1980 – Steve Millen (NZ) – Ralt RT1
1981 – Dave McMillan (NZ) – Ralt RT1
1982 – Roberto Moreno (Brazil) – Ralt RT4
1983 – David Oxton (NZ) – Ralt RT4
1984 – Davy Jones (USA) – Ralt RT4
1985 – Ross Cheever (USA) – Ralt RT4
1986 – Ross Cheever (USA) – Ralt RT4
1987 – Davy Jones (USA) – Ralt RT4
1988 – Paul Radisich (NZ) – Ralt RT4
1989 – Dean Hall (USA) – Swift/Cosworth
1990 – Ken Smith (NZ) – Swift/Cosworth
1991 – Craig Baird (NZ) – Swift/Toyota

MANFEILD CIRCUIT
1992 – Craig Baird (NZ) – Reynard 92H
1993 – Craig Baird (NZ) – Reynard 92H
1994 – Greg Murphy (NZ) – Reynard 90D
1995 – Brady Kennett (NZ) – Reynard 91D

RUAPUNA PARK
1998 – Simon Wills (NZ) – Reynard 94D
1999 – Simon Wills (NZ) – Reynard 94D

PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
2000 – Andy Booth (NZ) – Reynard 94D

TERETONGA PARK
2002 – Fabian Coulthard (NZ) – Van Diemen Stealth RF94
2003 – Jonathan Reid (NZ) – Van Diemen Stealth RF94
2004 – Ken Smith (NZ) – Van Diemen Evo2
2005 – Simon Gamble (NZ) – Spectrum 010
2006 – Hamad Al Fardan (Bahrain) – Toyota FT40
2007 – Daniel Gaunt (NZ) – Toyota FT40

MANFEILD CIRCUIT
2008 – Andy Knight (NZ) – Toyota FT40
2009 – Daniel Gaunt (NZ) – Toyota FT40
2010 – Earl Bamber (NZ) – Toyota FT40
2011 – Mitch Evans (NZ) – Toyota FT40
2012 – Nick Cassidy (NZ) – Toyota FT40
2013 – Nick Cassidy (NZ) – Toyota FT40