Round 13 · 1985

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Spa, Belgium · September 15, 1985 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R131985
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24 stored results 24/24 Elo snapshots 24/24 numbered grid slots 0/24 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.

0/24 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.

0/24 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 → P24vs expectedReading
A. SennaTeam Lotus #42294 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellWilliams #102158 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstMcLaren #12476 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergWilliams #152078 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham #62243 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickRenault #162059 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BergerArrows #142104 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerBrabham #72228 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. StreiffLigier #182035 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BoutsenArrows #52248 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #122127 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. MartiniMinardi #211933 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. BrundleTyrrell #92164 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RothengatterOsella #132109 No error range NCNot classified Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseAlfa Romeo #201967 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverAlfa Romeo #221931 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayRenault #112140 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. FabiToleman #172041 No error range DNFThrottle Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #32327 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. DannerZakspeed #192000 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. AlliotRAM #231919 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. JohanssonFerrari #82212 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GhinzaniToleman #241825 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoFerrari #22349 No error range DNFClutch 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+73.7 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Martini+12 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Prost 69pts 0
  2. 2 Alboreto 53pts 0
  3. 3 Senna 32pts +1
  4. 4 de Angelis 31pts −1
  5. 5 Rosberg 21pts +2

Movement since round 12. 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.

Toleman

FabiDNF−23.5 Elo
GhinzaniDNF−21.8 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 →
24
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Prost)
12
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇧🇷 A.Senna 2 +1 +9 32 P3 +50.3 2,345
P2 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 7 +5 +6 13 P9 +70.9 2,229
P3 🇫🇷 A.Prost 1 -2 +4 69 P1 +7.5 2,483
P4 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 10 +6 +3 21 P5 +73.7 2,151
P5 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 3 -2 +2 21 P6 +30.3 2,273
P6 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 14 +8 +1 5 P14 +62.6 2,122
P7 🇦🇹 G.Berger 8 +1 0 0 P19 +45.4 2,149
P8 🇨🇭 M.Surer 12 +4 0 5 P13 +10.9 2,239
P9 🇫🇷 P.Streiff 18 +9 0 0 P22 +45.4 2,080
P10 🇧🇪 T.Boutsen 9 -1 0 9 P12 -8.2 2,240
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 17 0 10 P11 +10.2 2,137
P12 🇮🇹 P.Martini 24 +12 0 0 P26 +43.2 1,976
P13 🇬🇧 M.Brundle 21 +8 0 0 P18 -13.0 2,151
NC 🇳🇱 H.Rothengatter 23 0 0 P24 -8.3 2,101
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 15 0 0 P20 +14.2 1,981
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 19 0 0 P21 +13.6 1,944
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 13 0 11 P10 -37.8 2,103
DNF 🇮🇹 T.Fabi 11 0 0 P29 -23.5 2,018
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 9 0 31 P4 -90.8 2,236
DNF 🇩🇪 C.Danner 22 0 0 P32 -29.9 1,970
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Alliot 20 0 0 P25 -21.8 1,897
DNF 🇸🇪 S.Johansson 5 0 21 P7 -90.9 2,121
DNF 🇮🇹 P.Ghinzani 16 0 0 P23 -21.8 1,803
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 4 0 53 P2 -132.1 2,217

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes