Top 3
Beat the estimateNo comparable estimates available for this race yet.
Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective
R082008
Race debrief
What did we expect after qualifying—and who beat it?
Share this debrief
20 stored results
20/20 Elo snapshots
20/20 numbered grid slots
0/20 qualifying results
Elo × qualifying → race result
Experimental · v1
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.
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 429 earlier finishes across 32 races, 1998–2008. No results from this race enter its expectation.
0/20 entrants have an estimate. Missing Elo or qualifying stays visible below; a grid position is not used as a qualifying result.
Flop 3
Below the estimateNo comparable estimates available for this race yet.
0/20 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.
| Driver | Pre-race Elo | Qualifying | Expected | Result | P1 ← position → P20 | vs expected | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F. MassaFerrari | #22391 | — | —No error range | P1 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| K. RäikkönenFerrari | #32374 | — | —No error range | P2 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| J. TrulliToyota | #82191 | — | —No error range | P3 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| H. KovalainenMcLaren | #72211 | — | —No error range | P4 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| R. KubicaBMW Sauber | #12412 | — | —No error range | P5 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| M. WebberRed Bull | #92190 | — | —No error range | P6 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| N. Piquet Jr.Renault | #181924 | — | —No error range | P7 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| F. AlonsoRenault | #62228 | — | —No error range | P8 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| D. CoulthardRed Bull | #112120 | — | —No error range | P9 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| L. HamiltonMcLaren | #52316 | — | —No error range | P10 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| T. GlockToyota | #122112 | — | —No error range | P11 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| S. VettelToro Rosso | #161986 | — | —No error range | P12 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| N. HeidfeldBMW Sauber | #42327 | — | —No error range | P13 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| R. BarrichelloHonda | #132101 | — | —No error range | P14 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| K. NakajimaWilliams | #152060 | — | —No error range | P15 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| N. RosbergWilliams | #102136 | — | —No error range | P16 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| S. BourdaisToro Rosso | #191920 | — | —No error range | P17 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| G. FisichellaForce India | #171977 | — | —No error range | P18 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| A. SutilForce India | #201842 | — | —No error range | P19 | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable | |
| J. ButtonHonda | #142085 | — | —No error range | DNFCollision | — | Not assessedQualifying unavailable |
How useful is the model? See the historical check
Average absolute error on 429 classified finishes in 32 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
- 2.48places
- Qualifying only
- 2.58places
- Elo only
- 2.97places
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.
Piquet Jr.+61.8 Elo
Button−59.1 Elo
Kovalainen+6 places
The bigger picture
Championship after this round
Top five in the stored standings. Points include sprint results where applicable.
Movement since round 7. 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
MassaP1+30.4 Elo
RäikkönenP2+25.3 Elo
1 place apart at the finish.
Toyota
TrulliP3+47.1 Elo
GlockP11+2.1 Elo
8 places apart at the finish.
McLaren
KovalainenP4+36.1 Elo
HamiltonP10−25.0 Elo
6 places apart at the finish.
BMW Sauber
KubicaP5−1.7 Elo
HeidfeldP13−48.8 Elo
8 places apart at the finish.
Red Bull
WebberP6+25.1 Elo
CoulthardP9+15.5 Elo
3 places apart at the finish.
Renault
Piquet Jr.P7+61.8 Elo
AlonsoP8+3.9 Elo
1 place apart at the finish.
Toro Rosso
VettelP12+15.9 Elo
BourdaisP17−11.0 Elo
5 places apart at the finish.
Honda
BarrichelloP14−17.9 Elo
ButtonDNF−59.1 Elo
Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.
Williams
NakajimaP15−18.2 Elo
RosbergP16−38.8 Elo
1 place apart at the finish.
Force India
FisichellaP18−26.7 Elo
SutilP19−16.0 Elo
1 place apart at the finish.
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 →Race
Qualifying
| # | Driver | Grid | +/- | Points | Season Pts | Season # | Elo Change | Elo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 🇧🇷 |
|
F.Massa | 2 | +1 | +10 | 48 | P1 | +30.4 | 2,421 |
| P2 | 🇫🇮 |
|
K.Räikkönen | 1 | -1 | +8 | 43 | P3 | +25.3 | 2,399 |
| P3 | 🇮🇹 | Toyota | J.Trulli | 4 | +1 | +6 | 18 | P7 | +47.1 | 2,238 |
| P4 | 🇫🇮 |
|
H.Kovalainen | 10 | +6 | +5 | 20 | P6 | +36.1 | 2,248 |
| P5 | 🇵🇱 | BMW Sauber | R.Kubica | 5 | — | +4 | 46 | P2 | -1.7 | 2,410 |
| P6 | 🇦🇺 |
|
M.Webber | 6 | — | +3 | 18 | P8 | +25.1 | 2,216 |
| P7 | 🇧🇷 | Renault | N.Piquet Jr. | 9 | +2 | +2 | 2 | P17 | +61.8 | 1,986 |
| P8 | 🇪🇸 | Renault | F.Alonso | 3 | -5 | +1 | 10 | P9 | +3.9 | 2,232 |
| P9 | 🇬🇧 |
|
D.Coulthard | 7 | -2 | 0 | 6 | P12 | +15.5 | 2,135 |
| P10 | 🇬🇧 |
|
L.Hamilton | 13 | +3 | 0 | 38 | P4 | -25.0 | 2,291 |
| P11 | 🇩🇪 | Toyota | T.Glock | 8 | -3 | 0 | 5 | P13 | +2.1 | 2,115 |
| P12 | 🇩🇪 | Toro Rosso | S.Vettel | 12 | — | 0 | 5 | P14 | +15.9 | 2,002 |
| P13 | 🇩🇪 | BMW Sauber | N.Heidfeld | 11 | -2 | 0 | 28 | P5 | -48.8 | 2,279 |
| P14 | 🇧🇷 | Honda | R.Barrichello | 20 | +6 | 0 | 5 | P15 | -17.9 | 2,083 |
| P15 | 🇯🇵 |
|
K.Nakajima | 15 | — | 0 | 7 | P11 | -18.2 | 2,042 |
| P16 | 🇩🇪 |
|
N.Rosberg | 19 | +3 | 0 | 8 | P10 | -38.8 | 2,098 |
| P17 | 🇫🇷 | Toro Rosso | S.Bourdais | 14 | -3 | 0 | 2 | P18 | -11.0 | 1,909 |
| P18 | 🇮🇹 | Force India | G.Fisichella | 17 | -1 | 0 | 0 | P19 | -26.7 | 1,950 |
| P19 | 🇩🇪 | Force India | A.Sutil | 18 | -1 | 0 | 0 | P22 | -16.0 | 1,826 |
| DNF | 🇬🇧 | Honda | J.Button | 16 | 0 | 3 | P16 | -59.1 | 2,025 |