Round 3 · 1987

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Spa, Belgium · May 17, 1987 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R031987
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26 stored results 26/26 Elo snapshots 26/26 numbered grid slots 0/26 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.

0/26 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.

0/26 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 → P26vs expectedReading
A. ProstMcLaren #32304 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. JohanssonMcLaren #22348 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisBrabham #211986 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverArrows #221973 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. NakajimaTeam Lotus #112124 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxLigier #152104 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GhinzaniLigier #261789 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. AlliotLarrousse #122119 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. StreiffTyrrell #102136 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. FabreAGS #172045 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. FabiBenetton #192020 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. BrundleZakspeed #92155 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BoutsenBenetton #82157 No error range DNFWheel bearing Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellWilliams #12414 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. SennaTeam Lotus #52214 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
I. CapelliMarch #241918 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetWilliams #42298 No error range DNFExhaust Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. CaffiOsella #182045 No error range DNFFuel leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoFerrari #72160 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. DannerZakspeed #62171 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickArrows #202020 No error range DNFRadiator Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseBrabham #162073 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BergerFerrari #132110 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. NanniniMinardi #251899 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. CamposMinardi #231943 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. PalmerTyrrell #142107 No error range DNFAccident 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

Palmer−91.6 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Fabre+15 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Prost 18pts +1
  2. 2 Johansson 13pts +1
  3. 3 Mansell 10pts −2
  4. 4 Senna 6pts 0
  5. 5 Piquet 6pts 0

Movement since round 2. 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.

Benetton

FabiDNF+36.6 Elo
BoutsenDNF−9.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Minardi

NanniniDNF−31.4 Elo
CamposDNF−47.4 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 →
26
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Johansson)
16
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇷 A.Prost 6 +5 +9 18 P1 +45.7 2,350
P2 🇸🇪 S.Johansson 10 +8 +6 13 P2 +30.8 2,378
P3 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 13 +10 +4 4 P7 +101.9 2,088
P4 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 11 +7 +3 3 P8 +97.5 2,071
P5 🇯🇵 S.Nakajima 15 +10 +2 3 P10 +55.6 2,180
P6 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 16 +10 +1 1 P13 +53.2 2,157
P7 🇮🇹 P.Ghinzani 17 +10 0 0 P15 +108.9 1,898
P8 🇫🇷 P.Alliot 22 +14 0 0 P17 +35.2 2,154
P9 🇫🇷 P.Streiff 23 +14 0 0 P16 +24.1 2,160
P10 🇫🇷 P.Fabre 25 +15 0 0 P19 +38.1 2,083
DNF 🇮🇹 T.Fabi 9 0 0 P23 +36.6 2,057
DNF 🇬🇧 M.Brundle 18 0 2 P11 -2.0 2,153
DNF 🇧🇪 T.Boutsen 7 0 2 P12 -9.7 2,147
DNF 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 1 0 10 P3 -65.7 2,348
DNF 🇧🇷 A.Senna 3 0 6 P4 -36.9 2,177
DNF 🇮🇹 I.Capelli 21 0 0 P24 +22.5 1,941
DNF 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 2 0 6 P5 -68.5 2,230
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Caffi 26 0 0 P22 -19.3 2,025
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 5 0 4 P6 -53.6 2,106
DNF 🇩🇪 C.Danner 20 0 0 P14 -63.3 2,108
DNF 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 12 0 0 P21 -35.2 1,985
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 8 0 0 P18 -54.8 2,018
DNF 🇦🇹 G.Berger 4 0 3 P9 -70.7 2,039
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Nannini 14 0 0 P25 -31.4 1,867
DNF 🇪🇸 A.Campos 19 0 0 P26 -47.4 1,896
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Palmer 24 0 0 P20 -91.6 2,016

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes