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World Circuit

aka: F1GP, Grand Prix 1, Microprose Formula One Grand Prix, World Circuit: The Grand Prix Race Simulation
Moby ID: 2071
Amiga Specs
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Description official descriptions

Formula 1 Grand Prix (known as World Circuit in the US) is the first installment of Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix series. The game includes all 16 international GP circuits of 1991. Players may drive them in quick race mode, single race or a full championship. The 18 teams and 35 drivers and their performance are based on the 1991 season, but the game doesn't include real names. It is possible to edit and save team and driver names by hand.

The extensive tuning feature influences the performance of the car. In-race setup allows players to adjust gear ratios, brake balance, wing downforce and tires during each visit to the pit box. Six optional driving aids help F1 rookies finish their race: players can toggle best line and suggested gear displays to learn track tactics, or have auto brakes, auto gears, self-righting spins and indestructibility to improve their driving. A replay system allows players to watch race scenes from three different views, including track-side camera footage.

The game features 3D graphics and various details and effects such as working rear mirrors, collisions with flying debris, crude damage models (wings are visibly bent after crashes), and wet weather that influences traction, including a fog effect that obscures vision when driving in another car's splash water.

While the Amiga version allows multiplayer races in hotseat mode, the PC version originally had solo races only. In 1993, the v1.05 update added modem support and a few other improvements.

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Amiga version)

19 People (17 developers, 2 thanks)

Game Design by
Programming by
Circuit Topography by
Additional Programming by
Bitmap Graphics and Animations by
Music by
Sound Effects by
  • Ten Pin Alley
Quality Assurance Testing by
Intro Design by
Produced and Directed by
Assisted by
Published by
Publishing Assistant
Manual Written by
Illustrations by
  • Artistix Tel: 0705 252125
Manual Design by
Packaging by
Photography by
With Grateful Thanks to
  • Footwork Grand Prix International
  • Honda UK

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 87% (based on 31 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 64 ratings with 3 reviews)

Possibly the finest Amiga game ever

The Good
The graphics were truly mind-blowing at the time, although ironically the plainly-filled polygons don't look as pretty as some of the sprite-based racers. The speed was impressive as well, especially considering everything else that was going on. The engine, tyre and contact noises were just right as well.

Every little detail about F1 cars was recreated. The computer cars behaved realistically, and the difficulty levels and driving aids allowed anyone to have a level they could play competitively at.

Car setup was a new feature for F1 racing, with minute control over gears, brakes and wings, which made a very clear and well-defined difference to the handling.

Unlike GP2, wet weather racing was recreated, impressively on a technical basis, and the wet races created suitably unpredictable action.

Races and qualifying sessions could be realistic lengths, in which case tyre choice and strategy came into play, or just short sprints for those of us without a long attention span.

Most importantly, the handling was spot on and felt exactly like the real thing.

The Bad
This was a very different genre to arcade racers of the time, such as the Lotus series. You had to race strategically and carefully, using the brakes frequently, thinking about car set-ups (often using a lot of trial and error practice laps), learn the tracks, and couldn't just smash everyone out of the way. If you weren't into motor racing, this may've been too much.

The damage model was a little unrealistic as well, with the cars being too strong in all areas except wings. This meant that pileups often resulted in a bunch of cars limping to the pits, often having to queue behind their team-mates

The Bottom Line
Magnificent. It's hard to imagine how to better recreate F1 on the hardware of the day. No wonder it got so many massive review scores.

Amiga · by Martin Smith (61) · 2003

Geoff Crammond's first Grand Prix game is a masterpiece.

The Good
When first released, this game blew away all comers. It was the first serious Grand Prix simulator on the market, and even today, is only bettered by its sequels.

16 accurately modelled tracks and 26 cars are just the start - free practice, Friday and Saturday qualifying sessions, and a full distance race complete the accuracy of this simulator. A race weekend can easily take a real-time weekend to complete.

You have the ability to setup your car for wing configuration, gear ratios, tyre compounds, brake balance. A good setup will win you the race, whereas a bad one we have you spinning in the grass before you know it. Fortunately for novices there's a whole range of driver aids, including auto-gears, auto-brakes, auto-recovery, etc.

Formula One racing was a little different in these days - pit-stops were optional - tyres were slick - overtaking was allowed - and the season began in Phoenix, USA. This game reproduces these heady days of Mansell, Senna and Patrese, and is a must for all racing fans.

The Bad
This game actually is perfect. It may have been superceeded by GP2 and the brand new GP3, but in 1991 this was state of the art.

The only problem with Grand Prix games, (and it also afflicts football games) is that they become dated quickly due to the annual rule and personnel changes.

The Bottom Line
Absolutely phenomenal. Given the fact that this game is almost a decade old now, it's almost an histroical game. The quality and gameplay are still there, but you'd be racing in a bygone age - great for those of us who remember Formual One in the late 80's/early 90's.

DOS · by Steve Hall (329) · 2000

Had me racing for years...

The Good
This was a game to be played again and again. The later release, including modem play, was an unbelievable game, and one that became a staple in our "LAN" gaming sessions.

The game was great in itself, having wonderful graphics, great sounds, and all 16 tracks from F1 at the time, but what made it exceptional was the way you could change the car. That took it up from being a decent game to a war zone. As you got better at racing round the tracks, the pits became of extreme interest to you. What would help get that extra 5 mph out of the long straight? How could you get around the chicanes slightly faster?

If that wasn't enough, the multiplayer option added even more fire. Instead of simply racing and comparing times, you could actually race each other, using those ultra-secret car setups you'd spent the last three hours tweaking. We actually raced each other during actual races (broadcast on TV), using the 100% time option!

MicroProse got players racing quickly by giving you all the help you needed without actually steering for you - although they helped if asked. As you became more proficient, you could increase the difficulty rating yourself by removing whichever help system(s) you wanted. This made for a game that could have beginners and experts alike on the same track, racing each other at comparable levels.

The Bad
At the time there was really nothing to complain about. Even the names were configurable, so Senna could (unfortunately) be removed from the racing schedule.

The Bottom Line
Everyone I knew was racing this game. It was the definitive racing game of its time - there is no other way to say it.

DOS · by Stephen M (20) · 2006

Trivia

Intro

The introduction movie is based on that of Japan's Fuji Television F1 title sequence. The music is based on the guitar solo in Fleetwood Mac's The Chain. This was used by the BBC for the British Formula One TV coverage introduction in the years they have held the rights, 1978-1996 and again from 2009.

Names

The game features the real car colors and performances of the 1991 Formula 1 season, but not the real names, although the technical support sheet included these (for the UK Amiga release at least). The British drivers are generally replaced with members of the Microprose staff, including Rob Davies and Mark Scott replacing Nigel Mansell and Martin Brundle respectively. Some of the names are very corny, such as Helmut Becker (a sort of half-pun that didn't work), and Mario Innocenti and Luigi Rivellini as the first two Italians.

Awards

  • Amiga Joker
    • Issue 02/1993 – #2 Best Sports Game of 1992 (Readers' Vote)
  • Computer Gaming World
    • October 1993 (Issue #111) – Best Simulation Game of the Year (together with Star Wars: X-Wing)
    • November 1996 (15th anniversary issue) - #66 in the “150 Best Games of All Time” list

Information also contributed by A J and PCGamer77

Analytics

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Related Sites +

  • Amiga F1
    Comprehensive Amiga site made by Oliver Roberts, a noted expert on the game and one-time Amiga Format writer. Features his editor package as well as lots more software, a FAQ page, troubleshooting guide and Hall of Fame statistics of the best drivers.
  • F1GP.com.br
    A Formula One Grand Prix Fan page with tools, editors and addons for F1GP. New downloads (like the latest carsets) are still being added.
  • Grand Prix
    Home of F1Ed, a powerful F1GP editor.
  • GrandPrix1.com
    Excellent F1GP site, features a huge database of files and resources as well as a discussion board. You can download the v1.05 patch here.
  • SimRacingWorld
    SimRacingWorld features a F1GP section with news, infos, screenshots and downloads of the game.

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 2071
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Luiz Pacheco.

Amiga added by Famine3h. Atari ST added by Martin Smith.

Additional contributors: Trixter, -Chris, GP4Flo, Martin Smith, formercontrib, Patrick Bregger.

Game added July 28, 2000. Last modified September 10, 2024.