Race Of Champions Heads to Wellington in 2027
Motorsport’s travelling all-star show is heading to Wellington, and it’s bringing some serious royalty with it.
The Race Of Champions, long a playground for world champions and fearless specialists, will stage its first-ever New Zealand event in 2027, turning the capital’s Hnry Stadium into a purpose-built arena on January 9 and 10.
And the guest list already has real weight.
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is confirmed, joined by current F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, who now represents Cadillac. Local hero Hayden Paddon, the Kiwi rally ace who has flown the flag on the world stage for years, will line up on home soil.
Vettel comes back for more
Vettel has already had a taste of New Zealand. It clearly left a mark.
Before the Race Of Champions event in Sydney, he squeezed in a quick visit across the Tasman and was stunned by what he saw. He admitted he half-joked with organisers, asking them to bring the next edition to New Zealand. Now it’s happening.
“I am really looking forward to competing against so many other Champions from across the globe at the Race Of Champions in Wellington in January and get a chance to visit more of New Zealand,” he said.
A four-time F1 champion doesn’t cross the world for a casual exhibition. His presence alone instantly raises the stakes for everyone else on the entry list.
A golden moment for Kiwi motorsport
For Paddon, this is more than a star-studded show rolling into town. It’s a statement about where New Zealand sits in global motorsport.
“It’s amazing to see one of the world’s most spectacular motorsport events come to New Zealand for the first time ever,” he said, calling it a huge honour to be part of the event in his home country.
He knows the timing is perfect. From single-seaters to stock cars, New Zealand drivers are making noise everywhere.
“New Zealand is really in a golden age of Motorsport at the moment across so many disciplines and I can’t think of a more fitting celebration of this than hosting the Race Of Champions that attracts so many of the biggest stars from all around the world.
“It’s really a historic event for so many reasons and I’m personally incredibly proud to be a part of it.”
He will not go into battle alone. Paddon’s teammate for Team New Zealand is still to be confirmed, but the shortlist reads like a who’s who of modern Kiwi talent.
Liam Lawson, NASCAR convert Shane van Gisbergen and IndyCar heavyweights Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin are among the names organisers hope to see alongside him. Any combination of that quartet would give the home crowd a team to roar for.
The ‘Cake Tin’ transformed
Hnry Stadium, affectionately known as the ‘Cake Tin’, will swap football boots for race boots. A tarmac circuit will be constructed inside the venue, turning Wellington’s familiar bowl into a tight, gladiatorial motorsport amphitheatre.
The build will be on a tight schedule. Construction of the circuit begins straight after Wellington Phoenix’s A-League clash with Newcastle Jets on January 2, giving organisers a narrow window to rip up the usual layout and create a bespoke track worthy of the event’s reputation.
The Race Of Champions format, with its short, sharp head-to-head duels, thrives in that kind of enclosed, high-intensity setting. Every mistake is visible. Every risk is amplified.
A one-off shot at the spotlight
For Wellington, this is more than a novelty. It’s a global shop window.
Tourism and hospitality minister Louise Upston made it clear what’s at stake, describing the Race Of Champions as an event that will draw motorsport fans from across the country and underline the city’s ability to stage major occasions that linger in the memory.
“This one-off event will draw motorsport enthusiasts from across New Zealand and reinforce Wellington's reputation for hosting unforgettable major events,” she said.
Tickets have been pitched to pull in both hardcore fans and curious newcomers. Day passes start from $49, with weekend tickets from $74. Registration for pre-sale access is already live, with pre-sale opening on Monday, September 21 and general admission following on Tuesday, September 22.
By then, more big names are likely to be locked in, the grid taking shape as anticipation builds.
A world champion, a rising F1 star, a homegrown rally hero and the promise of more Kiwi icons to come — all squeezed into a custom-built track inside the ‘Cake Tin’.
For New Zealand motorsport, January 2027 won’t just be another date on the calendar. It will be a test of how loudly a small nation can roar on the world stage.
