Round 4 · 1980

Long Beach

California, USA · March 30, 1980 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R041980
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27 stored results 27/27 Elo snapshots 24/27 numbered grid slots 0/27 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.

0/27 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.

0/27 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 → P27vs expectedReading
N. PiquetBrabham #42297 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #192161 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #82254 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #92252 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #102246 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiLigier #12371 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #152194 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyTyrrell #142197 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #32335 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #222104 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergFittipaldi #162190 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniEnsign #62260 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GiacomelliAlfa Romeo #172183 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #22369 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #52272 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerAlfa Romeo #132232 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #112243 No error range DNFPuncture Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverOsella #271838 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannWilliams #202159 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #122234 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #182169 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersATS #251895 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #212125 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ZuninoBrabham #72257 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. KennedyShadow #261889 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. LeesShadow #232092 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. SouthMcLaren #242000 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

Patrese+103.2 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Zunino−101.0 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Fittipaldi+21 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Arnoux 18pts 0
  2. 2 Piquet 18pts +1
  3. 3 Jones 13pts −1
  4. 4 Pironi 8pts 0
  5. 5 Patrese 7pts +8

Movement since round 3. 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.

Brabham

PiquetP1+73.9 Elo
ZuninoDNF−101.0 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

WatsonP4+61.8 Elo
SouthDNQ−57.6 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ligier

PironiP6+15.3 Elo
LaffiteDNF−40.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Tyrrell

DalyP8+44.8 Elo
JarierDNF−62.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Shadow

KennedyDNQ−19.8 Elo
LeesDNQ−71.8 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 →
27
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Pironi)
17
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 1 +9 18 P2 +73.9 2,371
P2 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 8 +6 +6 7 P5 +103.2 2,264
P3 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 24 +21 +4 4 P8 +69.4 2,323
P4 🇬🇧 J.Watson 21 +17 +3 3 P11 +61.8 2,314
P5 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 16 +11 +2 2 P14 +55.5 2,301
P6 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 9 +3 +1 8 P4 +15.3 2,386
P7 🇩🇪 J.Mass 17 +10 0 1 P16 +53.6 2,248
P8 🇮🇪 D.Daly 14 +6 0 3 P10 +44.8 2,242
P9 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 2 -7 0 18 P1 -0.4 2,335
P10 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 11 +1 0 0 P21 +54.2 2,158
DNF 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 22 0 4 P9 +22.5 2,213
DNF 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 23 0 0 P20 -4.8 2,255
DNF 🇮🇹 B.Giacomelli 6 0 2 P13 +8.5 2,191
DNF 🇦🇺 A.Jones 5 0 13 P3 -48.8 2,320
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 10 0 0 P24 -32.3 2,239
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 3 0 0 P25 -29.5 2,203
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 13 0 6 P6 -40.7 2,203
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 19 0 0 P26 +44.4 1,882
DNF 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 7 0 2 P15 -33.3 2,126
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 12 0 0 P18 -62.2 2,171
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 20 0 6 P7 -52.2 2,117
DNF 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 4 0 0 P27 +3.4 1,898
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 15 0 0 P22 -56.3 2,069
DNF 🇦🇷 R.Zunino 18 0 0 P17 -101.0 2,156
DNQ 🇮🇪 D.Kennedy 0 0 0 P28 -19.8 1,869
DNQ 🇬🇧 G.Lees 0 0 0 P23 -71.8 2,020
DNQ 🇬🇧 S.South 0 0 0 P30 -57.6 1,942

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes