Round 6 · 1985

Detroit Street Circuit

Detroit, USA · June 23, 1985 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R061985
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25 stored results 25/25 Elo snapshots 25/25 numbered grid slots 0/25 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.

0/25 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.

0/25 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 → P25vs expectedReading
K. RosbergWilliams #132118 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. JohanssonFerrari #62223 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoFerrari #12384 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. BellofTyrrell #192028 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #22368 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham #182039 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BoutsenArrows #82200 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerBrabham #221962 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverAlfa Romeo #172051 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisLigier #142112 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BergerArrows #211990 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #102140 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. SennaTeam Lotus #112132 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. BrundleTyrrell #92140 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. AlliotRAM #251911 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellWilliams #52237 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstMcLaren #32364 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseAlfa Romeo #162064 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickRenault #122128 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayRenault #42249 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. MartiniMinardi #241928 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaMcLaren #72217 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. FabiToleman #152067 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. WinkelhockRAM #231957 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GhinzaniOsella #201998 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 gain

Rosberg+88.1 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Lauda−88.6 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Bellof+15 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Alboreto 31pts 0
  2. 2 de Angelis 24pts +1
  3. 3 Prost 22pts −1
  4. 4 Johansson 13pts +2
  5. 5 Rosberg 12pts +4

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.

RAM

AlliotDNF+30.2 Elo
WinkelhockDNF−44.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

ProstDNF−80.5 Elo
LaudaDNF−88.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Renault

WarwickDNF−46.4 Elo
TambayDNF−80.8 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 →
25
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Alboreto)
13
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 5 +4 +9 12 P5 +88.1 2,206
P2 🇸🇪 S.Johansson 9 +7 +6 13 P4 +57.0 2,280
P3 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 3 +4 31 P1 +19.2 2,404
P4 🇩🇪 S.Bellof 19 +15 +3 4 P10 +87.0 2,115
P5 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 8 +3 +2 24 P2 +7.1 2,375
P6 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 10 +4 +1 1 P16 +69.6 2,109
P7 🇧🇪 T.Boutsen 21 +14 0 6 P8 +25.2 2,226
P8 🇨🇭 M.Surer 11 +3 0 0 P18 +71.7 2,034
P9 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 7 -2 0 0 P20 +44.9 2,096
P10 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 17 +7 0 3 P11 +23.5 2,135
P11 🇦🇹 G.Berger 24 +13 0 0 P23 +43.8 2,034
P12 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 16 +4 0 2 P15 +2.3 2,142
DNF 🇧🇷 A.Senna 1 0 9 P7 -3.2 2,129
DNF 🇬🇧 M.Brundle 18 0 0 P17 -12.4 2,127
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Alliot 23 0 0 P21 +30.2 1,941
DNF 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 2 0 5 P9 -48.9 2,188
DNF 🇫🇷 A.Prost 4 0 22 P3 -80.5 2,284
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 14 0 0 P22 -24.2 2,040
DNF 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 6 0 2 P14 -46.4 2,081
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 15 0 10 P6 -80.8 2,168
DNF 🇮🇹 P.Martini 25 0 0 P27 -17.2 1,911
DNF 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 12 0 3 P12 -88.6 2,128
DNF 🇮🇹 T.Fabi 13 0 0 P26 -61.6 2,005
DNF 🇩🇪 M.Winkelhock 20 0 0 P25 -44.9 1,912
DNF 🇮🇹 P.Ghinzani 22 0 0 P19 -60.8 1,937

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes