Round 15 · 1981

Las Vegas Street Circuit

Nevada, USA · October 17, 1981 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R151981
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30 stored results 30/30 Elo snapshots 24/30 numbered grid slots 0/30 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.

0/30 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.

0/30 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 → P30vs expectedReading
A. JonesWilliams #62352 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. ProstRenault #72344 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GiacomelliAlfa Romeo #92288 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellTeam Lotus #212107 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham #12462 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #52376 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #32413 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannWilliams #42399 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiFerrari #122198 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergFittipaldi #261930 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #222100 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisMcLaren #172175 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoTyrrell #192155 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. SalazarEnsign #232081 No error range NCNot classified Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickToleman #301715 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiAlfa Romeo #82319 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #162192 No error range DSQDisqualified Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueBrabham #132196 No error range DNFThrottle Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerTheodore #112199 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverTyrrell #142195 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #182175 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayLigier #242068 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #22424 No error range DNFWater leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierOsella #102264 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. BorguddATS #202116 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. SerraFittipaldi #281843 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyMarch #152195 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. Villeneuve Sr.Arrows #251950 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. HentonToleman #271874 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GabbianiOsella #291754 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 gain

Mansell+97.5 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Rosberg+10 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Piquet 50pts +1
  2. 2 Reutemann 49pts −1
  3. 3 Jones 46pts +2
  4. 4 Laffite 44pts −1
  5. 5 Prost 43pts −1

Movement since round 14. 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.

Renault

ProstP2+54.8 Elo
ArnouxDNF−40.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ligier

LaffiteP6+19.5 Elo
TambayDNF−21.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Toleman

WarwickDNF+87.0 Elo
HentonDNQ−33.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Osella

JarierDNF−83.5 Elo
GabbianiDNQ−24.2 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 →
30
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Piquet)
18
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇦🇺 A.Jones 2 +1 +9 46 P3 +60.2 2,412
P2 🇫🇷 A.Prost 5 +3 +6 43 P5 +54.8 2,399
P3 🇮🇹 B.Giacomelli 8 +5 +4 7 P15 +60.6 2,348
P4 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 9 +5 +3 8 P14 +97.5 2,204
P5 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 4 -1 +2 50 P1 +10.2 2,472
P6 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 12 +6 +1 44 P4 +19.5 2,395
P7 🇬🇧 J.Watson 6 -1 0 27 P6 +4.9 2,418
P8 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 1 -7 0 49 P2 +0.5 2,399
P9 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 18 +9 0 9 P13 +39.6 2,237
P10 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 20 +10 0 0 P26 +92.3 2,022
P11 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 11 0 10 P11 +49.2 2,149
P12 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 14 +2 0 1 P18 +23.9 2,199
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 17 0 0 P27 +21.7 2,176
NC 🇨🇱 E.Salazar 24 0 1 P21 +32.2 2,113
DNF 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 22 0 0 P33 +87.0 1,802
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 10 0 3 P17 -39.5 2,280
DSQ 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 3 0 25 P7 -16.0 2,176
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 16 0 11 P10 -24.2 2,172
DNF 🇨🇭 M.Surer 23 0 4 P16 -32.0 2,167
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 19 0 10 P12 -38.2 2,157
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 13 0 11 P9 -40.2 2,135
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 7 0 1 P19 -21.9 2,046
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 15 0 14 P8 -111.3 2,313
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 21 0 0 P22 -83.5 2,181
DNQ 🇸🇪 S.Borgudd 0 0 1 P20 -54.5 2,062
DNQ 🇧🇷 C.Serra 0 0 0 P25 -7.4 1,836
DNQ 🇮🇪 D.Daly 0 0 0 P23 -88.0 2,107
DNQ 🇨🇦 J.Villeneuve Sr. 0 0 0 P37 -39.8 1,910
DNQ 🇬🇧 B.Henton 0 0 0 P28 -33.6 1,841
DNQ 🇮🇹 B.Gabbiani 0 0 0 P34 -24.2 1,730

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes