Star ranks are given with HP. If you have more than 1000 HP, you will get a 3-star rating.

Ways to earn HP

- Stay ist 90% of all race time
- Get a perfect score of 60 pts.
- Get amazing lap times. Not fast, very fast.
- Don't touch walls, hit grass, fall off etc.
- Spend 99% of your time with stunting, performing wheelies and drifts.

Douing this will get you a 3-star rating with ease. And what is better then a 3-star rating, e?

From my experience (I have 2 triple star licenses), the ranking critgeria is broken into 2 parts:

50cc - Make you you do not hit a single environmental hazard! I have had triple star runs with like 3 blue shells a race, 57 points, etc (in 50cc). I compared them to my 60-point, 90% first place triple star runs(in 50cc). They all had the same thing in common: I never fell off or got hit by stuff like chain chomps, crushing ceilings and lava balls.

100cc, 150cc, mirror - Forget about not messing up. Only two things matter: get 60 points and STAY FIRST. There is a magic percentage for each of the modes, if you do not stay first at least that percentage of the time you will not get a triple star.

Take this as you will, I have played Grand Prix extensively, and from my experience those are the only factors. The reason people think things like falling off deduct from ranking is because falling off usually results in the CPU passing you, reducing the % of time you stayed first. I have had games where I fell off/got hit at each stage but got the triple star, just because the CPU was still unable to catch up.

Your GP rank is decided by 2 scores, your Championship Point (CP) and your Hidden Point (HP).

Everybody should be familiar with CP. It's the point given to you based on where you placed in each race:

1st: 10
2nd: 8
3rd: 6
4th: 4
5th: 3
6th: 2
7th: 1
8th: 0
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HP is a score that is hidden from the player, and it's given based on how "well" you performed in the race. You start with 0 HP, and according to what you did, points are added or deducted from your HP.

ACTIONS THAT ADD HP:

-- Total Time for Each Race --
Each circuit has a preset time. You will be awarded HP depending on how much faster your time is from the preset time.

-- Lead Time --
HP is given for been in 1st place. The longer you are in 1st, the more HP you receive.

-- Rocket Boost/Start --
+25 HP for each successful Rocket Boost.

-- Mini-Turbo --
+2 HP for each successful mini-turbo.

-- Item Attack --
+5 HP for each successful attack using item.

ACTIONS THAT DEDUCT HP:

-- Off-Track Time --
HP is deducted for the amount of time you spend off the track. The longer you are off-track, the more HP you loss. Exceptions are when you are under the effect of star, mushroom, bullet pill.

-- Hit a Wall --
-20 HP every time you hit a wall.

-- Hit a Course Obstacle --
-30 HP every time you hit a course obstacle (car, fireball, etc.).

-- Fall Off Track/ Pick Up by Lakitu--
-70 HP every time you fall off track and get picked up by Lakitu.

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Rank

-- 60 CP: --
1000+ HP = 3-star (***)
700-999 HP = 2-star (**)
400-699 HP = 1-star (*)
200-399 HP = A
0-199 HP = B
negative HP = C

-- 54-59 CP: --
1000+ HP = 2-star (**)
700-999 HP = 1-star (*)
400-699 HP = A
200-399 HP = B
0-199 HP = C
negative HP = D

-- 45-53 CP: --
1000+ HP = 1-star (*)
700-999 HP = A
400-699 HP = B
200-399 HP = C
0-199 HP = D
negative HP = E

-- 30-44 CP: --
1000+ HP = A
700-999 HP = B
400-699 HP = C
200-399 HP = D
less than 200 HP = E

-- 0-29 CP: --
1000+ HP = B
700-999 HP = C
400-699 HP = D
less than 400 HP = E