Grand Prix (Ravensburger 1975)
Grand Prix (Ravensburger 1975) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
18 cars in different colours, 1 game board (the track plan), 1 rev counter, 1 bag.
Principle of the Game
In every race only a very little luck comes into play: because of technical incidents or driving errors, vehicles can be delayed or even eliminated. Grand Prix also has such incidents, but they are never accidental during the race. The position of the cars relative to one another only determines how best to drive them, or lets you be drawn into a very confused situation.
Each player starts with a team of 3 cars (of the same colour, distinguished by the numbers 1, 2 and 3). On his turn each player advances his cars by 6, 5 or 4 spaces. He may do so in any order, but these 3 "speeds" must be entirely carried out. When a car cannot go at its full speed, it must pull over to the side. This always results in a loss of time, and can furthermore lead to the car being eliminated. The winner is the owner of the team of cars which, after 3 laps of the circuit, finds itself furthest ahead.
Preparation
One player is chosen as race director (meneur de course). He takes charge of the random drawing of the starting positions and looks after the rev counter. The players choose the colour of their team and put all their cars into the bag. The rev counter is placed at his feet. For every car taking part in the race, a mark is made in the box "1st lap" (1er tour). This shows that all cars begin the first lap.
Then, without looking, one car is drawn from the bag: the team to which it belongs will begin to play. The other players then play one after another, clockwise. For the random drawing of the starting positions the cars are returned to the bag. They are then placed on the numbered starting positions in the order in which they were drawn from the bag: the 1st car on position 1, the 2nd on position 2, and so on. (The random drawing of starting positions here replaces the start of the real races, which in real racing takes place according to the times achieved in practice.) The race can begin!
Course Progress
The official circuit, on which most of the race takes place, consists of the dark grey strips, each bounded on both sides by a continuous yellow line. Alongside these are lighter lanes, which are used only in certain cases. The first player now advances his 3 cars, then, clockwise, comes the turn of the other players.
1. Speed
Each player is free to choose which car he moves by 6, 5 or 4 spaces. However, he may not advance 2 or 3 cars by the same number of spaces (see diagram 1). The "speeds" of the 3 cars must be entirely carried out. On the first lap this requirement plays no role as long as the car concerned has not passed the blue line located after the first bend. Up to that line the cars advance as far as they can whenever there is no possibility of overtaking. On the first lap, up to this blue line, the cars are therefore not obliged to pull over onto the clearance lanes (see below).
2. Driving
Only one car may occupy each space. Cars may change lane provided they advance diagonally (see diagram 2). In the bends the cars must stay in the lane they occupy; the continuous yellow lines must on no account be crossed.
3. Overtaking
A car may only be overtaken if there is a free space beside it, and that space can be reached by a permitted lane change (see diagram 2).
Slipstream ("in the lee of the wind"): When, after moving, a car stands on a space marked with a black arrow and directly behind another car, it benefits from the slipstream that the other car provides. This allows it to advance 3 additional spaces (see diagram 3), but does not oblige it in any way to double. The slipstream can be used only twice per move and per car. The hatched arrows located on the straight start and finish line only come into play at the end of the first lap.
4. Pulling Into the Side Lanes
When the track is congested and a car cannot move as many spaces as it should, it must in any case advance as far as possible. The car then pulls over, at the same height, onto the nearest side lane (see diagram 4). When the move ends on the middle lane, the player has a choice between the right-hand lane and the left-hand lane. In the bends the spaces are offset relative to one another, so cars are moved forward by ¼ or ½ of a space on the outer lanes. In any case the car remains immobilised in the lane and can only move again on the following turn.
Left-hand lane (couloir de gauche): In this lane the car loses a great deal of speed (for example because of a driving error). To return to the track it must advance three spaces at a time. The player's two other cars advance normally, by 6, 5 or 4 spaces.
Right-hand lane (couloir de droite): Driving in this lane corresponds to more or less serious technical problems (for example, a badly adjusted engine). The car advances at normal speed (6, 5 or 4 spaces), the player's two other cars having their remaining speeds. In the right-hand lane the chosen speed must be entirely carried out.
5. Leaving the Side Lanes
A car located in one of the side lanes must regain the track when, at the end of the move, it falls on a space marked with a green arrow. The car is placed, at the same height, on the lane nearest to the side lane at the following turn (this does not count as a move), and it continues from there. If the nearest lane is occupied, the car must wait until it is freed (see diagram 5).
A car that has just pulled over onto the side lane, onto an exit space, will be replaced on the track at the following turn.
6. New Lap
As soon as a car has passed the finish line, the race director places the rev-counter marker for that car (for example, for the red car no. 3) in the box "2nd lap", and later in the box "3rd lap". It is up to the player to remind the race director!
7. Elimination
A car is eliminated when, in a side lane, it cannot complete its speed, or when it cannot pull over into a lane because the space in question is occupied (see diagram 6). Eliminated cars are removed from the race and their marker is removed from the rev counter.
8. Boxstop
When a driver cannot or does not want to rejoin the track while he is in the right-hand lane, he must eventually drive on to his box (each box has a small mark of the team colour above its door). The car remains on the space located directly in front of its box, and the speed that remains to be used is lost. On the following move the car is placed in the box, on the space surrounded in black (the car has repairs to be made). On the following turn the car is placed, still in the box, on the green arrow (car repaired). The car therefore skips 2 turns. On the 3rd turn the car may, at normal speed, advance to the end of the pit lane and from there (the 2 spaces with green arrows permit the exit) rejoin the track. If the exit from the boxes or the entry onto the track is occupied, the car must wait until the way is clear. One does not need to drive at the maximum of one's speed to go from the boxes to the track.
Winner and Final Places
The winner is the player whose team has the most points. The cars, one after another as they pass the finish line, are placed on the numbered spaces 1 to 10 in front of the race control tower. The first car to arrive scores 10 points, the second 9 points, and the tenth 1 point. The points of all the cars of the same team are added together.
Instead of a team classification, one may also make an individual classification, by driver. This suits players who intend, as in the world championship, to extend the game into a season race with several classifications and the same players (for example: the red car no. 1 will be, in each race, that of Mark Speed on Ferrari). The first six cars obtain the points 9 to 1, just as in the world championship. The points won by each car are recorded separately. The car that has the most points after the season race is the world champion.
Diagrams
The rules refer to numbered diagrams printed on the last pages of the rules sheet. The drawings themselves are not reproduced here; their captions, as printed, are:
- Diagram 1 - Speed
- Diagram 2 - Changing of Lanes
- Diagram 3 - Slipstreaming
- Diagram 4 - Passing onto the Side Tracks
- Diagram 5 - Return to the Official Track (with the caption "Wait!")
- Diagram 6 - Elimination