Round 4 · 1979

Long Beach

California, USA · April 08, 1979 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R041979
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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 #22387 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #32352 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #102196 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #52272 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerLigier #82224 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #182144 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisShadow #222072 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham-Alfa Romeo #192117 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #142180 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #162152 No error range DSQDisqualified Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #252001 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyEnsign #202107 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #72257 No error range DNFInjection Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckATS #242004 No error range DSQDisqualified Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniWilliams #152169 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersShadow #232014 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #122190 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannTeam Lotus #12470 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #62263 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #261856 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #42333 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntWolf #112192 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham-Alfa Romeo #132183 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #92197 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #212099 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #172144 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew 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 grid-to-finish gain

de Angelis+13 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Villeneuve 20pts +2
  2. 2 Laffite 18pts −1
  3. 3 Scheckter 13pts +2
  4. 4 Reutemann 12pts −2
  5. 5 Depailler 11pts −1

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.

Tyrrell

JarierP6+66.0 Elo
PironiDSQ+33.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

MassP9+33.7 Elo
PatreseDNF−30.5 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

WatsonDNF−16.6 Elo
TambayDNF−85.9 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 (Villeneuve)
17
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 1 +9 20 P1 +46.4 2,433
P2 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 3 +1 +6 13 P3 +45.8 2,398
P3 🇦🇺 A.Jones 10 +7 +4 4 P9 +75.4 2,272
P4 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 6 +2 +3 8 P6 +48.7 2,321
P5 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 4 -1 +2 11 P5 +53.0 2,277
P6 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 7 +1 +1 5 P7 +66.0 2,210
P7 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 20 +13 0 0 P13 +76.1 2,148
P8 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 12 +4 0 0 P15 +57.3 2,174
P9 🇩🇪 J.Mass 13 +4 0 0 P14 +33.7 2,213
DSQ 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 17 0 3 P10 +33.2 2,185
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 23 0 0 P23 +61.5 2,063
DNF 🇮🇪 D.Daly 24 0 0 P21 +29.1 2,136
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Watson 18 0 4 P8 -16.6 2,240
DSQ 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 21 0 0 P25 +37.8 2,042
DNF 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 15 0 0 P17 -9.7 2,160
DNF 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 14 0 0 P22 +20.3 2,035
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 9 0 0 P18 -30.5 2,160
DNF 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 2 0 12 P4 -98.8 2,371
DNF 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 16 0 1 P11 -64.3 2,199
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 22 0 0 P26 +18.2 1,875
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 5 0 18 P2 -96.0 2,237
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 8 0 0 P16 -69.4 2,123
DNF 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 11 0 1 P12 -74.6 2,108
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 19 0 0 P20 -85.9 2,111
DNS 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 0 0 0 P24 -68.7 2,030
DNS 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 0 0 0 P19 -87.8 2,057

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes