Round 5 · 1979

Jarama

Madrid, Spain · April 29, 1979 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R051979
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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
P. DepaillerLigier #52277 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannTeam Lotus #32371 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #42321 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #22398 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #102210 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #122185 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #12433 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #92213 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #252030 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #142160 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #112199 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersShadow #242035 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #192111 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckATS #232042 No error range P14 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham-Alfa Romeo #202108 No error range DNFWater leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #212063 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #62272 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisShadow #162148 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniWilliams #152160 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntWolf #182123 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #222057 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #72240 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #82237 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham-Alfa Romeo #132174 No error range DNFInjection Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyEnsign #172136 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #271875 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. BrancatelliKauhsen #262000 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

Arnoux+72.7 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Laffite−85.4 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Lammers+12 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Villeneuve 20pts 0
  2. 2 Depailler 20pts +3
  3. 3 Laffite 18pts −1
  4. 4 Reutemann 18pts 0
  5. 5 Scheckter 16pts −2

Movement since round 4. 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.

McLaren

TambayP13+22.7 Elo
WatsonDNF−78.6 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 (Villeneuve)
13
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 2 +1 +9 20 P2 +70.3 2,348
P2 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 8 +6 +6 18 P4 +41.6 2,413
P3 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 4 +1 +4 12 P6 +44.9 2,366
P4 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 5 +1 +3 16 P5 +21.2 2,419
P5 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 12 +7 +2 7 P7 +57.2 2,267
P6 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 10 +4 +1 4 P10 +56.1 2,241
P7 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 3 -4 0 20 P1 -7.8 2,425
P8 🇩🇪 J.Mass 17 +9 0 0 P14 +33.6 2,247
P9 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 11 +2 0 0 P19 +72.7 2,103
P10 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 16 +6 0 0 P17 +32.6 2,192
P11 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 19 +8 0 1 P11 +14.8 2,214
P12 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 24 +12 0 0 P23 +49.1 2,084
P13 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 20 +7 0 0 P20 +22.7 2,133
P14 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 21 +7 0 0 P24 +32.2 2,074
DNF 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 6 0 1 P12 +8.4 2,116
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 23 0 0 P25 +12.1 2,075
DNF 🇦🇺 A.Jones 13 0 4 P9 -48.9 2,223
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 22 0 0 P13 -24.7 2,124
DNF 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 14 0 0 P18 -35.2 2,124
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 15 0 0 P16 -33.2 2,090
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 9 0 0 P21 -24.0 2,033
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Watson 18 0 4 P8 -78.6 2,161
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 1 0 18 P3 -85.4 2,152
DNF 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 7 0 0 P15 -76.7 2,098
DNQ 🇮🇪 D.Daly 0 0 0 P22 -74.3 2,062
DNQ 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 0 0 0 P26 -24.6 1,850
DNQ 🇮🇹 G.Brancatelli 0 0 0 P27 -56.0 1,944

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes