Round 11 · 1981

Red Bull Ring

Spielberg, Austria · August 16, 1981 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R111981
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28 stored results 28/28 Elo snapshots 24/28 numbered grid slots 0/28 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.

0/28 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.

0/28 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 → P28vs expectedReading
J. LaffiteLigier #32418 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #112292 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham #42355 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #92296 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannWilliams #22444 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #12449 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #72324 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisMcLaren #212045 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiFerrari #152193 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierOsella #52334 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyMarch #202047 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiAlfa Romeo #122283 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. BorguddATS #222041 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #172163 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. SalazarEnsign #251954 No error range DNFOil pressure Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoTyrrell #241988 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GiacomelliAlfa Romeo #162183 No error range DNFHeat shield fire Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueBrabham #82310 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. StohrArrows #232034 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstRenault #102292 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayLigier #182116 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellTeam Lotus #192096 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #132274 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerTheodore #142270 No error range DNFDistributor Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverTyrrell #62329 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickToleman #281758 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. HentonToleman #271798 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GabbianiOsella #261832 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify 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

Cheever−111.5 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

de Cesaris+10 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Reutemann 45pts 0
  2. 2 Piquet 39pts 0
  3. 3 Laffite 34pts 0
  4. 4 Jones 27pts 0
  5. 5 Villeneuve 21pts 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.

Ligier

LaffiteP1+47.4 Elo
TambayDNF−32.0 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Renault

ArnouxP2+66.8 Elo
ProstDNF−66.3 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Osella

JarierP10−1.9 Elo
GabbianiDNQ−30.8 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

PatreseDNF+8.7 Elo
StohrDNF+0.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Toleman

WarwickDNQ−7.0 Elo
HentonDNQ−19.0 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 →
28
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Laffite)
17
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 4 +3 +9 34 P3 +47.4 2,465
P2 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 1 -1 +6 11 P8 +66.8 2,359
P3 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 7 +4 +4 39 P2 +45.3 2,401
P4 🇦🇺 A.Jones 6 +2 +3 27 P4 +51.2 2,347
P5 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 5 +2 45 P1 +12.8 2,457
P6 🇬🇧 J.Watson 12 +6 +1 21 P6 +4.6 2,453
P7 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 9 +2 0 8 P12 +22.7 2,346
P8 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 18 +10 0 1 P18 +79.6 2,125
P9 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 8 -1 0 7 P13 +38.6 2,231
P10 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 14 +4 0 0 P20 -1.9 2,333
P11 🇮🇪 D.Daly 19 +8 0 0 P21 +57.1 2,104
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 13 0 3 P16 -4.9 2,278
DNF 🇸🇪 S.Borgudd 21 0 1 P19 +43.6 2,084
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 10 0 10 P9 +8.7 2,172
DNF 🇨🇱 E.Salazar 20 0 0 P30 +45.8 2,000
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 22 0 0 P26 +32.1 2,020
DNF 🇮🇹 B.Giacomelli 16 0 0 P23 -18.3 2,165
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 15 0 8 P11 -55.5 2,254
DNF 🇮🇹 S.Stohr 24 0 0 P25 +0.6 2,035
DNF 🇫🇷 A.Prost 2 0 19 P7 -66.3 2,226
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 17 0 1 P17 -32.0 2,084
DNF 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 11 0 5 P14 -35.0 2,061
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 3 0 21 P5 -84.0 2,189
DNF 🇨🇭 M.Surer 23 0 4 P15 -90.7 2,180
DNQ 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 0 0 10 P10 -111.5 2,217
DNQ 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 0 0 0 P36 -7.0 1,751
DNQ 🇬🇧 B.Henton 0 0 0 P35 -19.0 1,779
DNQ 🇮🇹 B.Gabbiani 0 0 0 P32 -30.8 1,801

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes