Round 4 · 1996 · 28 Apr

Nürburgring

Nürburg, Germany

Results & qualifying →

Race debrief

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Elo × qualifying → race result

Did they beat the expectation?

Experimental · v1
Model & data

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

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.

This race has insufficient earlier history: 3/20 races and 32/200 classified finishes with Elo and qualifying. Estimates are withheld.

22 stored results 22/22 Elo snapshots 22/22 numbered grid slots 20/22 qualifying results

Missing Elo or qualifying stays visible in the full grid. A grid position is not used as a qualifying result.

0/22 entrants have an estimate. Not enough earlier history to estimate this race.

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. DNFs excluded. How we rank

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
J. VilleneuveWilliams #82154 P2 —No error range P1 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
M. SchumacherFerrari #22287 P3 —No error range P2 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
D. CoulthardMcLaren #92149 P6 —No error range P3 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
D. HillWilliams #12415 P1 —No error range P4 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
R. BarrichelloJordan #102141 P5 —No error range P5 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
M. BrundleJordan #162078 P11 —No error range P6 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
J. HerbertSauber #72179 P12 —No error range P7 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
M. HäkkinenMcLaren #142097 P9 —No error range P8 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
G. BergerBenetton #112137 P8 —No error range P9 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
P. DinizLigier #152082 P17 —No error range P10 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
R. RossetFootwork #211960 P20 —No error range P11 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
P. LamyMinardi #132131 P19 —No error range P12 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
G. FisichellaMinardi #182008 P18 —No error range P13 — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
M. SaloTyrrell #62227 P14 —No error range DSQDisqualified — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
U. KatayamaTyrrell #172044 P16 —No error range DSQDisqualified — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
H. FrentzenSauber #122132 P10 —No error range DNFBrakes — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
J. VerstappenFootwork #192004 P13 —No error range DNFEngine — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
O. PanisLigier #42256 P15 —No error range DNFCollision — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
E. IrvineFerrari #32284 P7 —No error range DNFElectrical — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
J. AlesiBenetton #52239 P4 —No error range DNFCollision — Not assessedMore earlier races needed
A. MonterminiForti #221918 — —No error range DNQ107% Rule — Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. BadoerForti #201974 — —No error range DNQ107% Rule — Not assessedQualifying unavailable
How useful is the model? See the historical check

There is not enough earlier history for a rolling hold-out check yet.

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 loss

Irvine−91.7 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Rosset+9 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Hill 33pts 0
  2. 2 Villeneuve 22pts 0
  3. 3 Alesi 10pts 0
  4. 4 Schumacher 10pts +2
  5. 5 Irvine 6pts −1

Movement since round 3. 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.

Ferrari

SchumacherP2+41.3 Elo
IrvineDNF−91.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Schumacher 0.782s faster

Sauber

HerbertP7+24.6 Elo
FrentzenDNF−35.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Frentzen 0.097s faster

Benetton

BergerP9+18.2 Elo
AlesiDNF−90.5 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Alesi 0.343s faster

Ligier

DinizP10+22.6 Elo
PanisDNF−78.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Panis 1.224s faster

Footwork

RossetP11+40.1 Elo
VerstappenDNF−15.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Verstappen 2.253s faster

Minardi

LamyP12−4.0 Elo
FisichellaP13+14.9 Elo

1 place apart at the finish.

Q1 · Fisichella 0.218s faster

Tyrrell

SaloDSQ−40.7 Elo
KatayamaDSQ−8.3 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Salo 0.354s faster

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 →