In 1985, the IAAF launched the IAAF Grand Prix - linking the best outdoor invitational track and field meetings in a circuit, culminating with a Grand Prix Final at the end of the season. It followed on from the IAAF Golden Events (1978–82), where the IAAF helped finance meetings between the world's top athletes to encourage seasonal engagement with the sport outside of the Olympic cycle. The creation of the IAAF Grand Prix circuit came two years after the first World Championships in Athletics in 1983.

The 1985 IAAF/Mobil Grand Prix, a series of 16 international meetings in 13 countries, started with the Bruce Jenner Bud-Light Classic at San Jose, California on 25 May 1985.  Points were awarded for 1st to 8th in the Grand Prix events with 9 for 1st, 7 for 2nd, down to 1 for 8th. The points counted towards qualification for the Grand Prix Final where extra points could be accunulated to give an overall Grand Prix winner as well as individual event winners. 

In 1993, the IAAF Council reviewed the development of the Grand Prix and Permit meetings, and proposed the creation of a two tier Grand Prix System including a maximum of 24 meetings which would enable a greater number of meetings to benefit from the marketing and sponsorship opportunities resulting from being part of the Grand Prix. Thus, the Grand Prix II was created.

Until 1992, total points determined the winner of the series. From 1993, points still determined the overall winners but the event winners were based on the result of the final itself.

As well as the overall winners, there were standings and awards for the individual events within the Grand Prix circuit. The events were mainly included on a repeating 2-yearly cycle. The individual standings were determinedby points from 1985-1992 and by position in the Grand Prix final from 1993 to 2002.

The positions of Scottish athletes in these standings between 1985 and 1992 were as follows:

The points accumulated at Grand Prix events during the season qualified athletes for the Grand Prix Final. 

The venues of the finals were: 1985-86 Rome (ITA), 1987 Brussels (BEL), 1988 Berlin (FRG), 1989 Monte Carlo (MON), 1990 Athens (GRE), 1991 Barcelona (ESP), 1992 Turin (ITA), 1993 London (GBR), 1994 Paris (FRA), 1995 Monte Carlo (MON), 1996 Milan (ITA), 1997 Fukuoka (JPN), 1998 Moscow (RUS), 1999 Munich (GER), 2000 Doha (QAT), 2001 Melbourne (AUS), 2002 Paris (FRA). 

Scottish athletes who competed in the finals were as follows: