Round 3 · 1979

Kyalami

Midrand, South Africa · March 03, 1979 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R031979
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26 stored results 26/26 Elo snapshots 24/26 numbered grid slots 0/26 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.

0/26 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.

0/26 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 → P26vs expectedReading
G. VilleneuveFerrari #42327 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #62293 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #232027 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #102207 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannTeam Lotus #12468 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham-Alfa Romeo #192108 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham-Alfa Romeo #222033 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntWolf #162142 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniWilliams #182121 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #142168 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #132170 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #152166 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #72287 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #251954 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #202089 No error range DNFTyre Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #82229 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #52318 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckATS #241996 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #122190 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #22442 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #92221 No error range DNFThrottle Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisShadow #172125 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerLigier #32336 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersShadow #212069 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyEnsign #112202 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #261890 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

Jarier+116.6 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Regazzoni+13 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Laffite 18pts 0
  2. 2 Reutemann 12pts 0
  3. 3 Villeneuve 11pts +3
  4. 4 Depailler 9pts −1
  5. 5 Scheckter 7pts +4

Movement since round 2. 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.

Tyrrell

JarierP3+116.6 Elo
PironiDNF−69.0 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

TambayP10+28.7 Elo
WatsonDNF−61.4 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 →
26
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Reutemann)
13
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 3 +2 +9 11 P3 +59.4 2,387
P2 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 2 +6 7 P5 +59.6 2,352
P3 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 9 +6 +4 4 P8 +116.6 2,144
P4 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 8 +4 +3 5 P6 +64.9 2,272
P5 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 11 +6 +2 12 P2 +2.1 2,470
P6 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 4 -2 +1 1 P11 +74.4 2,183
P7 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 12 +5 0 0 P14 +84.6 2,117
P8 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 13 +5 0 0 P15 +50.7 2,192
P9 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 22 +13 0 0 P16 +48.1 2,169
P10 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 17 +7 0 0 P20 +28.7 2,197
P11 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 16 +5 0 0 P17 +20.6 2,190
P12 🇩🇪 J.Mass 20 +8 0 0 P12 +13.9 2,180
P13 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 18 +5 0 1 P10 -23.6 2,263
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 23 0 0 P23 +47.2 2,001
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 10 0 0 P24 +9.9 2,099
DNF 🇦🇺 A.Jones 19 0 0 P18 -32.7 2,196
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Watson 14 0 4 P7 -61.4 2,257
DNF 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 24 0 0 P25 +8.0 2,004
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 1 0 0 P19 -46.0 2,144
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 6 0 18 P1 -109.0 2,333
DNF 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 7 0 3 P9 -69.0 2,152
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 15 0 0 P13 -52.6 2,072
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 5 0 9 P4 -111.4 2,224
DNF 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 21 0 0 P22 -54.3 2,014
DNQ 🇮🇪 D.Daly 0 0 0 P21 -95.1 2,107
DNQ 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 0 0 0 P26 -33.7 1,856

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes