- BGG rating
- 6.9
Speed Circuit: British Grand Prix
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- 1978
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,643
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Speed Circuit
1971
Rules assistance for Speed Circuit
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Speed Circuit
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Speed Circuit is a board game released in 1971 for 2–6 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John B. Reilly (I) and Thomas M. Divoll and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Speed Circuit: Grand Prix de Belgique
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 1978
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Speed Circuit: South African Grand Prix
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 1978
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Speed Circuit: Grand Prix de France
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- 1979
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Speed Circuit: Tournament Tracks
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- 1979
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 1
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1980
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 2
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1981
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Speed Circuit: Detroit Grand Prix
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1981
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Speed Circuit: Turnier Kurs
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1988
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 4
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1991
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 3
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
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About the game
In Speed Circuit, each player takes control of a Formula 1 racecar zipping around the tracks. Each person then distributes a number of points to Start Speed, Top Speed, Wear and other attributes, five points per lap. Then, each player moves based on their speed, and can adjust their speed, choosing to forfeit a Wear Point, or roll the Chance Die, where a bad roll could cause you to move through, spin out, or even crash out of the race. Whoever gets over the line first wins. Before the race begins the players prepare their cars by allocating points, so if you want faster acceleration or speed you have to sacrifice start speed or braking or tire wear. Each turn, the players write their planned speed for the next turn and then move their cars 1 space per 20 mph. Each curve on the track has a speed limit that cannot be exceeded without penalty. If you exceed curve speed, overaccelerate or overdecelerate your car, etc., you pay penalties in tire wear or possible damage to your car or elimination from the race. The original 3M Sports Games version used speedometer wheels to select speed, used a random card draw to determine the car characteristics and has no random elements. Expanded by: Speed Circuit: British Grand Prix Speed Circuit: Detroit Grand Prix Speed Circuit: Grand Prix de Belgique Speed Circuit: Grand Prix de France Speed Circuit: South African Grand Prix Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 1 Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 2 Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 3 Speed Circuit: Accessory Pack 4 Speed Circuit: Tournament Tracks Speed Circuit: Turnier Kurs
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Klee
- 3M
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- Sports Illustrated
Questions and answers
Speed Circuit supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Speed Circuit is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Speed Circuit for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Speed Circuit has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Speed Circuit belongs to these categories: Racing and Sports. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Speed Circuit are: John B. Reilly (I) and Thomas M. Divoll. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Speed Circuit as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.