Round 16 · 1999

Suzuka Circuit

Suzuka, Japan · October 31, 1999 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

What did we expect after qualifying—and who beat it?

R161999
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22 stored results 22/22 Elo snapshots 22/22 numbered grid slots 0/22 qualifying results
Elo × qualifying → race result

Did they beat the expectation?

A strong driver recovering from a poor qualifying position isn't automatically a surprise. This model estimates a finish from both inputs, then compares it with what happened.

Experimental · v1

Expected finish assumes a classified finish. DNFs stay in the full grid but receive no performance verdict. Qualifying is not the starting grid; grid differences are flagged, not silently substituted.

Fit on 279 earlier finishes across 27 races, 1996–1999. No results from this race enter its expectation.

0/22 entrants have an estimate. Missing Elo or qualifying stays visible below; a grid position is not used as a qualifying result.

Top 3

Beat the estimate

No comparable estimates available for this race yet.

Flop 3

Below the estimate

No comparable estimates available for this race yet.

0/22 entrants assessed. Up to three per side, ranked by expected minus actual finish. DNFs, missing estimates and gaps rounding to 0.0 are excluded. “Flop” means below the model's estimate—not poor driving. A ranked gap can still be inside the usual error range.

Full grid: pre-race Elo rank, qualifying position, estimated finish, actual result and difference from expectation. Positive differences mean finishing ahead of the estimate.
DriverPre-race EloQualifyingExpectedResultP1 ← position → P22vs expectedReading
M. HäkkinenMcLaren #22334 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SchumacherFerrari #42293 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. IrvineFerrari #12450 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. FrentzenJordan #32313 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. SchumacherWilliams #62240 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. AlesiSauber #92102 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HerbertStewart #82181 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. BarrichelloStewart #52259 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. VilleneuveBAR #162039 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. WurzBenetton #132066 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DinizSauber #221903 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ZontaBAR #201977 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. de la RosaArrows #182009 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. FisichellaBenetton #152053 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. TakagiArrows #211907 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. BadoerMinardi #192008 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. CoulthardMcLaren #72226 No error range DNFHydraulics Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. GenéMinardi #112069 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. HillJordan #172031 No error range DNFPhysical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
O. PanisProst #102077 No error range DNFAlternator Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. TrulliProst #122068 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ZanardiWilliams #142054 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
How useful is the model? See the historical check

Average absolute error on 70 classified finishes in 7 earlier races within the last ten years. Each race was held out and predicted using only older races; all three models use the same samples.

Elo + qualifying
2.22places
Qualifying only
2.27places
Elo only
2.50places

The range scales the 80th percentile of earlier held-out absolute errors to this field size, rounding outward. It is an empirical error guide, not a guaranteed 80% chance for a particular driver. We require at least five checked races and 100 checked finishes before showing it.

Inputs are field-normalised Elo rank and qualifying position. The target is position among all race entries, trained only on classified finishers. Estimates are averages, not a unique predicted finishing order. Penalties, the circuit, weather, incidents and strategy aren't model inputs. Historical qualifying coverage is patchy; this is an exploratory backtest on corrected records, not proof of live forecasting accuracy.

The rating ledger

What changed in Elo?

These are actual rating changes. The expectation model above does not change Elo or fantasy scoring.

Largest Elo gain

Diniz+47.0 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Zanardi−69.0 Elo

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

Top five in the stored standings. Points include sprint results where applicable.

  1. 1 Häkkinen 76pts +1
  2. 2 Irvine 74pts −1
  3. 3 Frentzen 54pts 0
  4. 4 Coulthard 48pts 0
  5. 5 Schumacher 44pts 0

Movement since round 15. A dash means the earlier standing is unavailable.

Explore the season →
Across the garage

Teammate results

Two-driver constructor entries from this race. A result comparison, not an adjustment for strategy or reliability.

Jordan

FrentzenP4+19.8 Elo
HillDNF−40.4 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Minardi

BadoerDNF−12.1 Elo
GenéDNF−40.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Prost

PanisDNF−58.1 Elo
TrulliDNF−64.1 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

What this analysis can—and cannot—tell you

This debrief is calculated from stored results and rating snapshots. The experimental expectation model learns from earlier races only, using Elo rank and qualifying together; it never feeds back into Elo. It is not a separately reviewed race report.

Elo uses the result order, including retirements. It does not isolate driver skill from the car, reliability, penalties or strategy. Elo seed comparisons use pre-race ratings, never today's ratings. Equal ratings share the midpoint of their rank range (for example, tied first and second become seed 1.5).

Grid gains use numbered starting slots and classified finishes only. Zero or missing grid values are excluded; a position gained is not necessarily an overtake. Qualifying gaps use the latest segment both teammates have a valid time for, never Q1 against Q3.

Lap-by-lap pace, tyre stints, pit-stop execution and safety-car effects are not available in this report. Missing data is omitted, not inferred.

Read the Elo methodology →
22
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Irvine)
9
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇮 M.Häkkinen 2 +1 +10 76 P1 +39.9 2,374
P2 🇩🇪 M.Schumacher 1 -1 +6 44 P5 +39.1 2,332
P3 🇬🇧 E.Irvine 5 +2 +4 74 P2 +7.7 2,458
P4 🇩🇪 H.Frentzen 4 +3 54 P3 +19.8 2,333
P5 🇩🇪 R.Schumacher 9 +4 +2 35 P6 +25.4 2,266
P6 🇫🇷 J.Alesi 10 +4 +1 2 P15 +46.4 2,149
P7 🇬🇧 J.Herbert 8 +1 0 15 P8 +21.7 2,203
P8 🇧🇷 R.Barrichello 13 +5 0 21 P7 -1.8 2,257
P9 🇨🇦 J.Villeneuve 11 +2 0 0 P21 +36.4 2,075
P10 🇦🇹 A.Wurz 15 +5 0 3 P13 +22.9 2,088
P11 🇧🇷 P.Diniz 17 +6 0 3 P14 +47.0 1,950
P12 🇧🇷 R.Zonta 18 +6 0 0 P22 +25.5 2,003
P13 🇪🇸 P.de la Rosa 21 +8 0 1 P18 +11.3 2,020
DNF 🇮🇹 G.Fisichella 14 0 13 P9 -5.9 2,047
DNF 🇯🇵 T.Takagi 19 0 0 P20 +14.8 1,922
DNF 🇮🇹 L.Badoer 22 0 0 P23 -12.1 1,996
DNF 🇬🇧 D.Coulthard 3 0 48 P4 -65.9 2,160
DNF 🇪🇸 M.Gené 20 0 1 P17 -40.7 2,028
DNF 🇬🇧 D.Hill 12 0 7 P12 -40.4 1,990
DNF 🇫🇷 O.Panis 6 0 2 P16 -58.1 2,019
DNF 🇮🇹 J.Trulli 7 0 7 P11 -64.1 2,004
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Zanardi 8 0 0 P19 -69.0 1,985

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes