Round 6 · 2010 · 16 May

Circuit de Monaco

Monte-Carlo, Monaco

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.

Fit on 412 earlier finishes across 28 races, 2000–2010. No results from this race enter its expectation.

24 stored results 24/24 Elo snapshots 24/24 numbered grid slots 24/24 qualifying results

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

Top 3

Beat the estimate
  1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari · Elo #7 · Q24

    Expected P14.0 Finished P6

    +8.0places
  2. Mark Webber Red Bull · Elo #3 · Q1

    Expected P3.0 Finished P1

    +2.0places
  3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull · Elo #2 · Q3

    Expected P3.7 Finished P2

    +1.7places

Flop 3

Below the estimate
  1. Michael Schumacher Mercedes · Elo #6 · Q7

    Expected P6.2 Finished P12

    −5.8places
  2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes · Elo #8 · Q6

    Expected P6.2 Finished P7

    −0.8places
12/24 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 → P24vs expectedReading
M. WebberRed Bull #32338 P1 P3.0P1–P8 P1 +2.0places In range
S. VettelRed Bull #22376 P3 P3.7P1–P9 P2 +1.7places In range
R. KubicaRenault #52297 P2 P3.8P1–P9 P3 +0.8places In range
F. MassaFerrari #42307 P4 P4.5P1–P10 P4 +0.5places In range
L. HamiltonMcLaren #92278 P5 P5.9P1–P11 P5 +0.9places In range
F. AlonsoFerrari #72291 P24 P14.0P9–P19 P6 +8.0places Above range
N. RosbergMercedes #82284 P6 P6.2P1–P12 P7 −0.8places In range
A. SutilForce India #112119 P12 P9.4P4–P15 P8 +1.4places In range
V. LiuzziForce India #162011 P10 P9.4P4–P15 P9 +0.4places In range
S. BuemiToro Rosso #191966 P13 P11.3P6–P17 P10 +1.3places In range
J. AlguersuariToro Rosso #122067 P17 P11.8P6–P17 P11 +0.8places In range
M. SchumacherMercedes #62296 P7 P6.2P1–P12 P12 −5.8places In range
V. PetrovRenault #132044 P14 P10.7P5–P16 DNFBrakes — Not assessedDNF: Brakes
K. ChandhokHRT #231955 P23 P16.5P11–P22 DNFCollision — Not assessedDNF: Collision
J. TrulliLotus #171998 P19 P13.6P8–P19 DNFCollision — Not assessedDNF: Collision
H. KovalainenLotus #142037 P18 P12.6P7–P18 DNFSteering — Not assessedDNF: Steering
B. SennaHRT #241937 P22 P16.3P11–P22 DNFHydraulics — Not assessedDNF: Hydraulics
R. BarrichelloWilliams #102256 P9 P7.9P2–P13 DNFSuspension — Not assessedDNF: Suspension
K. KobayashiSauber #211960 P16 P13.0P8–P18 DNFGearbox — Not assessedDNF: Gearbox
L. di GrassiVirgin #221957 P21 P15.4P10–P21 DNFWheel — Not assessedDNF: Wheel
T. GlockVirgin #201966 P20 P14.6P9–P20 DNFTrack rod — Not assessedDNF: Track rod
P. de la RosaSauber #181983 P15 P12.0P7–P17 DNFHydraulics — Not assessedDNF: Hydraulics
J. ButtonMcLaren #12402 P8 P5.8P1–P11 DNFEngine — Not assessedDNF: Engine
N. HülkenbergWilliams #152020 P11 P9.7P4–P15 DNFFront wing — Not assessedDNF: Front wing
How useful is the model? See the historical check

Average absolute error on 412 classified finishes in 28 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
2.57places
Qualifying only
2.64places
Elo only
3.16places

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

Buemi+44.1 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Button−110.2 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Alonso+18 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Webber 78pts +3
  2. 2 Vettel 78pts +1
  3. 3 Alonso 75pts −1
  4. 4 Button 70pts −3
  5. 5 Massa 61pts +2

Movement since round 5. 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.

Red Bull

WebberP1+37.6 Elo
VettelP2+26.0 Elo

1 place apart at the finish.

Q3 · Webber 0.401s faster

Renault

KubicaP3+31.1 Elo
PetrovDNF+11.8 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q2 · Kubica 1.027s faster

McLaren

HamiltonP5+21.5 Elo
ButtonDNF−110.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q3 · Hamilton 0.205s faster

HRT

ChandhokDNF+20.5 Elo
SennaDNF+4.5 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Senna 1.050s faster

Lotus

TrulliDNF+7.2 Elo
KovalainenDNF−5.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Kovalainen 0.040s faster

Sauber

KobayashiDNF−12.0 Elo
de la RosaDNF−34.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q2 · de la Rosa 0.300s faster

Virgin

di GrassiDNF−17.8 Elo
GlockDNF−25.5 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Q1 · Glock 0.487s 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 →