Round 9 · 1979

Silverstone Circuit

Silverstone, UK · July 14, 1979 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R091979
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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
C. RegazzoniWilliams #82239 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #122184 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #42302 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #72281 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #12479 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. IckxLigier #242015 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #192090 No error range DNFOut of fuel Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannTeam Lotus #32402 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #182090 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #112202 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersShadow #222067 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisShadow #212068 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GaillardEnsign #251951 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #22431 No error range DNFFuel system Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #132181 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #52286 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergWolf #172116 No error range DNFFuel system Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #62284 No error range DNFWater pump Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #92211 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #152145 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #102205 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham-Alfa Romeo #232059 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #142177 No error range DNFWheel Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham-Alfa Romeo #162119 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckATS #202077 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #261808 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

Ickx+95.1 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Rebaque+17 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Scheckter 32pts 0
  2. 2 Villeneuve 26pts 0
  3. 3 Laffite 24pts 0
  4. 4 Depailler 20pts 0
  5. 5 Reutemann 20pts 0

Movement since round 8. 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

WatsonP4+46.3 Elo
TambayDNF+70.1 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ligier

IckxP6+95.1 Elo
LaffiteDNF−47.1 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

PatreseDNF−13.8 Elo
MassDNF−52.1 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 (Scheckter)
14
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 4 +3 +9 16 P6 +79.4 2,318
P2 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 5 +3 +6 10 P10 +85.3 2,269
P3 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 16 +13 +4 13 P7 +49.1 2,351
P4 🇬🇧 J.Watson 7 +3 +3 11 P9 +46.3 2,327
P5 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 11 +6 +2 32 P1 +0.0 2,479
P6 🇧🇪 J.Ickx 17 +11 +1 1 P18 +95.1 2,110
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 18 0 0 P21 +70.1 2,160
P8 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 8 0 20 P5 -9.9 2,392
P9 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 26 +17 0 0 P24 +54.8 2,145
P10 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 15 +5 0 8 P12 +19.4 2,221
P11 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 21 +10 0 0 P26 +45.0 2,112
P12 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 12 0 0 P19 +36.9 2,105
P13 🇫🇷 P.Gaillard 23 +10 0 0 P28 +54.5 2,005
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 13 0 26 P2 -61.3 2,370
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 19 0 2 P14 -13.8 2,167
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 10 0 24 P3 -47.1 2,239
DNF 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 14 0 0 P25 -12.9 2,103
DNF 🇦🇺 A.Jones 1 0 7 P13 -62.0 2,222
DNF 🇩🇪 J.Mass 20 0 1 P15 -52.1 2,159
DNF 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 22 0 1 P16 -43.3 2,102
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 2 0 9 P11 -65.9 2,139
DNF 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 6 0 1 P17 -37.7 2,021
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 9 0 12 P8 -74.4 2,103
DNF 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 3 0 0 P20 -67.4 2,051
DNQ 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 0 0 0 P22 -65.0 2,012
DNQ 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 0 0 0 P30 -23.0 1,785

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes