Round 7 · 1986

Detroit Street Circuit

Detroit, USA · June 22, 1986 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R071986
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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. SennaTeam Lotus #22374 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #52269 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstMcLaren #12447 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoFerrari #82206 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellWilliams #32319 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseBrabham #142114 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. DumfriesTeam Lotus #211955 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. PalmerZakspeed #201973 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. StreiffTyrrell #122177 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickBrabham #182022 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. DannerArrows #261875 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxLigier #72236 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BoutsenArrows #132150 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisMinardi #221954 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetWilliams #62242 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. JohanssonFerrari #102195 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. FabiBenetton #152059 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverLola #241918 No error range DNFSteering Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesLola #162040 No error range DNFSteering Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. BergOsella #192000 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. BrundleTyrrell #112186 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GhinzaniOsella #231925 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergMcLaren #42271 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BergerBenetton #92203 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. NanniniMinardi #251877 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RothengatterZakspeed #172039 No error range DNFElectrical 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

Rosberg−102.3 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Palmer+12 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Senna 36pts +2
  2. 2 Prost 33pts −1
  3. 3 Mansell 29pts −1
  4. 4 Piquet 19pts 0
  5. 5 Rosberg 14pts 0

Movement since round 6. 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.

Ligier

LaffiteP2+49.2 Elo
ArnouxDNF−15.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

ProstP3+12.3 Elo
RosbergDNF−102.3 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

DannerDNF+67.8 Elo
BoutsenDNF−4.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Benetton

FabiDNF−12.6 Elo
BergerDNF−95.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Lola

CheeverDNF+9.7 Elo
JonesDNF−22.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Osella

BergDNF−21.2 Elo
GhinzaniDNF−20.4 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 (Prost)
16
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇧🇷 A.Senna 1 +9 36 P1 +37.4 2,411
P2 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 6 +4 +6 13 P6 +49.2 2,319
P3 🇫🇷 A.Prost 7 +4 +4 33 P2 +12.3 2,459
P4 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 11 +7 +3 6 P9 +48.0 2,254
P5 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 2 -3 +2 29 P3 +18.1 2,337
P6 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 8 +2 +1 2 P13 +54.3 2,168
P7 🇬🇧 J.Dumfries 14 +7 0 0 P16 +81.8 2,037
P8 🇬🇧 J.Palmer 20 +12 0 0 P17 +70.8 2,044
P9 🇫🇷 P.Streiff 18 +9 0 0 P15 +18.6 2,195
P10 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 15 +5 0 0 P22 +46.0 2,068
DNF 🇩🇪 C.Danner 19 0 0 P24 +67.8 1,943
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 4 0 6 P10 -15.9 2,220
DNF 🇧🇪 T.Boutsen 13 0 0 P14 -4.2 2,145
DNF 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 23 0 0 P26 +31.5 1,986
DNF 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 3 0 19 P4 -38.9 2,203
DNF 🇸🇪 S.Johansson 5 0 7 P7 -35.9 2,159
DNF 🇮🇹 T.Fabi 17 0 2 P11 -12.6 2,047
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 10 0 0 P28 +9.7 1,928
DNF 🇦🇺 A.Jones 21 0 0 P21 -22.6 2,017
DNF 🇨🇦 A.Berg 25 0 0 P29 -21.2 1,979
DNF 🇬🇧 M.Brundle 16 0 2 P12 -70.0 2,116
DNF 🇮🇹 P.Ghinzani 22 0 0 P25 -20.4 1,905
DNF 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 9 0 14 P5 -102.3 2,169
DNF 🇦🇹 G.Berger 12 0 6 P8 -95.2 2,108
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Nannini 24 0 0 P27 -33.3 1,844
DNF 🇳🇱 H.Rothengatter 26 0 0 P23 -72.9 1,966

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes