Round 11 · 1989

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Spa, Belgium · August 27, 1989 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R111989
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39 stored results 39/39 Elo snapshots 26/39 numbered grid slots 0/39 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.

This race has insufficient earlier history: 0/20 races and 0/200 classified finishes with Elo and qualifying. Estimates are withheld.

0/39 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.

0/39 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 → P39vs expectedReading
A. SennaMcLaren #32371 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstMcLaren #12527 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellFerrari #22379 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BoutsenWilliams #62288 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. NanniniBenetton #132172 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickArrows #72267 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. GugelminMarch #182134 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. JohanssonOnyx #232078 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. MartiniMinardi #172136 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. PirroBenetton #102194 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisDallara #202128 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
I. CapelliMarch #222098 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
O. GrouillardLigier #252060 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. PalmerTyrrell #92194 No error range P14 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. Pérez-SalaMinardi #212118 No error range P15 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. AlliotLarrousse #272030 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverArrows #82260 No error range DNFWheel Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GachotOnyx #291998 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseWilliams #52310 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoLarrousse #242064 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. CaffiDallara #142145 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. BrundleBrabham #122177 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BergerFerrari #192134 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. ModenaBrabham #112188 No error range DNFHandling Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxLigier #262057 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HerbertTyrrell #152139 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. NakajimaTeam Lotus #162138 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetTeam Lotus #42366 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. DannerRial #301970 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. RaphanelRial #381663 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LariniOsella #321894 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GhinzaniOsella #351788 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. MorenoColoni #331862 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. TarquiniAGS #311922 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. SchneiderZakspeed #361707 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. SuzukiZakspeed #391630 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
Y. DalmasAGS #341831 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. FoitekEuro Brun #371707 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. BertaggiaColoni #282000 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify 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

Piquet−112.2 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Grouillard+13 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Prost 62pts 0
  2. 2 Senna 51pts 0
  3. 3 Mansell 38pts 0
  4. 4 Patrese 25pts 0
  5. 5 Boutsen 20pts 0

Movement since round 10. 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.

Onyx

JohanssonP8+72.3 Elo
GachotDNF+34.3 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Brabham

BrundleDNF−34.8 Elo
ModenaDNF−49.3 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Rial

DannerDNQ−23.4 Elo
RaphanelDNQ+26.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Osella

LariniDNQ−18.0 Elo
GhinzaniDNQ−3.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

AGS

TarquiniDNQ−41.6 Elo
DalmasDNQ−40.4 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 →
39
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Prost)
24
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇧🇷 A.Senna 1 +9 51 P2 +44.6 2,415
P2 🇫🇷 A.Prost 2 +6 62 P1 +15.7 2,542
P3 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 6 +3 +4 38 P3 +31.5 2,410
P4 🇧🇪 T.Boutsen 4 +3 20 P5 +43.8 2,332
P5 🇮🇹 A.Nannini 7 +2 +2 14 P6 +65.8 2,238
P6 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 10 +4 +1 6 P10 +36.9 2,304
P7 🇧🇷 M.Gugelmin 9 +2 0 4 P13 +63.7 2,198
P8 🇸🇪 S.Johansson 15 +7 0 2 P18 +72.3 2,151
P9 🇮🇹 P.Martini 14 +5 0 2 P19 +51.5 2,188
P10 🇮🇹 E.Pirro 13 +3 0 0 P27 +31.1 2,225
P11 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 18 +7 0 4 P12 +42.0 2,170
P12 🇮🇹 I.Capelli 19 +7 0 0 P28 +44.0 2,142
P13 🇫🇷 O.Grouillard 26 +13 0 1 P21 +47.8 2,108
P14 🇬🇧 J.Palmer 21 +7 0 1 P23 +7.6 2,202
P15 🇪🇸 L.Pérez-Sala 25 +10 0 1 P25 +21.3 2,139
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Alliot 11 0 0 P31 +37.8 2,068
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 24 0 6 P8 -25.8 2,234
DNF 🇧🇪 B.Gachot 23 0 0 P30 +34.3 2,032
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 5 0 25 P4 -48.5 2,261
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 22 0 6 P9 +6.0 2,070
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Caffi 12 0 4 P15 -20.8 2,124
DNF 🇬🇧 M.Brundle 20 0 1 P24 -34.8 2,142
DNF 🇦🇹 G.Berger 3 0 0 P35 -29.7 2,105
DNF 🇮🇹 S.Modena 8 0 4 P14 -49.3 2,139
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 17 0 2 P20 -21.4 2,035
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Herbert 16 0 5 P11 -48.6 2,091
DNQ 🇯🇵 S.Nakajima 0 0 0 P26 -54.1 2,084
DNQ 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 0 0 9 P7 -112.2 2,254
DNQ 🇩🇪 C.Danner 0 0 3 P16 -23.4 1,947
DNQ 🇫🇷 P.Raphanel 0 0 0 P37 +26.2 1,689
DNQ 🇮🇹 N.Larini 0 0 0 P32 -18.0 1,876
DNQ 🇮🇹 P.Ghinzani 0 0 0 P38 -3.6 1,784
DNQ 🇧🇷 R.Moreno 0 0 0 P34 -23.1 1,839
DNQ 🇮🇹 G.Tarquini 0 0 1 P22 -41.6 1,881
DNQ 🇩🇪 B.Schneider 0 0 0 P36 -8.6 1,698
DNQ 🇯🇵 A.Suzuki 0 0 0 P43 -5.0 1,625
DNQ 🇫🇷 Y.Dalmas 0 0 0 P39 -40.4 1,790
DNQ 🇨🇭 G.Foitek 0 0 0 P40 -26.1 1,680
DNQ 🇮🇹 E.Bertaggia 0 0 0 P44 -89.0 1,911

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes