Round 2 · 1978

Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · January 29, 1978 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R021978
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28 stored results 28/28 Elo snapshots 24/28 numbered grid slots 0/28 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.

0/28 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.

0/28 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 → P28vs expectedReading
C. ReutemannFerrari #32327 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #162147 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham #12494 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #62281 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniShadow #192113 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #222032 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassATS #92204 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonBrabham #212044 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #82205 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #72218 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #102200 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #281818 No error range DNFPhysical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #172123 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #142161 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntMcLaren #22338 No error range DNFSpun off Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckShadow #152160 No error range DNFFuel system Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterWolf #52313 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PetersonTeam Lotus #112196 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. OngaisEnsign #232022 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. LungerMcLaren #122179 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerTyrrell #42326 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. KeeganSurtees #202103 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. LeoniEnsign #241955 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierATS #182114 No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #261911 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverTheodore #251948 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
V. BrambillaSurtees #132170 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. GalicaHesketh #271898 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 grid-to-finish gain

Pironi+13 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Andretti 12pts 0
  2. 2 Lauda 10pts 0
  3. 3 Reutemann 9pts +4
  4. 4 Fittipaldi 6pts +5
  5. 5 Depailler 4pts −2

Movement since round 1. 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.

ATS

MassP7+37.6 Elo
JarierDNS−58.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ensign

OngaisDNF−2.7 Elo
LeoniDNF−16.5 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 →
28
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Lauda)
17
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 4 +3 +9 9 P3 +51.9 2,379
P2 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 7 +5 +6 6 P4 +85.7 2,233
P3 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 10 +7 +4 10 P2 +10.8 2,504
P4 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 3 -1 +3 12 P1 +40.8 2,322
P5 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 15 +10 +2 2 P7 +73.2 2,186
P6 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 19 +13 +1 1 P9 +85.0 2,117
P7 🇩🇪 J.Mass 20 +13 0 0 P11 +37.6 2,242
P8 🇬🇧 J.Watson 21 +13 0 0 P13 +68.5 2,113
P9 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 14 +5 0 0 P14 +23.5 2,229
P10 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 18 +8 0 0 P16 +13.5 2,232
P11 🇦🇺 A.Jones 8 -3 0 0 P17 +10.7 2,211
DNF 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 22 0 0 P22 +82.6 1,901
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 6 0 0 P12 +15.5 2,138
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 5 0 1 P10 -0.8 2,161
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 2 0 3 P6 -47.3 2,291
DNF 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 9 0 0 P20 -14.4 2,146
DNF 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 12 0 0 P15 -56.1 2,257
DNF 🇸🇪 R.Peterson 1 0 2 P8 -36.7 2,159
DNF 🇺🇸 D.Ongais 23 0 0 P23 -2.7 2,019
DNF 🇺🇸 B.Lunger 13 0 0 P19 -46.5 2,133
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 11 0 4 P5 -86.3 2,239
DNF 🇬🇧 R.Keegan 24 0 0 P25 -42.2 2,061
DNF 🇮🇹 L.Leoni 17 0 0 P24 -16.5 1,939
DNS 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 16 0 0 P18 -58.7 2,055
DNQ 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 0 0 0 P26 -22.0 1,889
DNQ 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 0 0 0 P27 -35.8 1,912
DNQ 🇮🇹 V.Brambilla 0 0 0 P21 -93.0 2,077
DNQ 🇬🇧 D.Galica 0 0 0 P28 -40.5 1,857

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes