Round 14 · 1979

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Montreal, Canada · September 30, 1979 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R141979
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30 stored results 30/30 Elo snapshots 24/30 numbered grid slots 0/30 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.

0/30 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.

0/30 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 → P30vs expectedReading
A. JonesWilliams #32397 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #22426 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniWilliams #62317 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterFerrari #12539 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #72289 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #82222 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ZuninoBrabham-Ford #282000 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #232084 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LammersShadow #272028 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #152127 No error range DNFOut of fuel Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham-Ford #202108 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
V. BrambillaAlfa Romeo #102160 No error range DNFFuel system Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. IckxLigier #132148 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierTyrrell #42333 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyTyrrell #252043 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueRebaque #262028 No error range DNFChassis Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #172117 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisShadow #142143 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannTeam Lotus #92194 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #122152 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #222087 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #182112 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckATS #242081 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #52329 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassArrows #162124 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerEnsign #291955 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergWolf #192112 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. RibeiroFittipaldi #212107 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #301716 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham-Ford #112158 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 Elo gain

Zunino+99.9 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Laffite−104.7 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 Scheckter 51pts 0
  2. 2 Villeneuve 44pts 0
  3. 3 Jones 40pts +1
  4. 4 Laffite 36pts −1
  5. 5 Regazzoni 29pts 0

Movement since round 13. 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

WatsonP6+49.6 Elo
TambayDNF−21.8 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ligier

IckxDNF+19.2 Elo
LaffiteDNF−104.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

PatreseDNF−31.8 Elo
MassDNQ−59.9 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 →
30
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Scheckter)
21
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇦🇺 A.Jones 1 +9 40 P3 +45.3 2,443
P2 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 2 +6 44 P2 +32.9 2,459
P3 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 3 +4 29 P5 +47.8 2,365
P4 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 9 +5 +3 51 P1 +2.0 2,541
P5 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 6 +1 +2 10 P12 +40.0 2,329
P6 🇬🇧 J.Watson 17 +11 +1 14 P10 +49.6 2,271
P7 🇦🇷 R.Zunino 17 +10 0 0 P24 +99.9 2,100
P8 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 15 +7 0 1 P19 +71.9 2,156
P9 🇳🇱 J.Lammers 21 +12 0 0 P28 +79.0 2,107
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 10 0 14 P9 +46.2 2,173
DNF 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 4 0 3 P15 +44.1 2,152
DNF 🇮🇹 V.Brambilla 18 0 0 P30 +23.0 2,183
DNF 🇧🇪 J.Ickx 16 0 3 P16 +19.2 2,167
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 13 0 14 P8 -34.2 2,299
DNF 🇮🇪 D.Daly 24 0 0 P25 +32.4 2,075
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 22 0 0 P21 +29.0 2,057
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 7 0 9 P13 -1.2 2,116
DNF 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 23 0 0 P20 -15.2 2,128
DNF 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 11 0 20 P7 -35.7 2,158
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 14 0 2 P18 -31.8 2,120
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 20 0 0 P22 -21.8 2,066
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 8 0 11 P11 -35.5 2,077
DNF 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 12 0 0 P26 -34.3 2,046
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 5 0 36 P4 -104.7 2,225
DNQ 🇩🇪 J.Mass 0 0 3 P17 -59.9 2,064
DNQ 🇨🇭 M.Surer 0 0 0 P35 -25.5 1,930
DNQ 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 0 0 0 P29 -71.1 2,041
DNQ 🇧🇷 A.Ribeiro 0 0 0 P36 -76.9 2,030
DNQ 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 0 0 0 P33 -9.9 1,706
DNS 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 0 0 4 P14 -104.7 2,053

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes