Round 4 · 1978

Long Beach

California, USA · April 02, 1978 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R041978
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30 stored results 30/30 Elo snapshots 22/30 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
C. ReutemannFerrari #32315 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #22336 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerTyrrell #42305 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PetersonTeam Lotus #72252 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #52277 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #92226 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #62270 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #172153 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. StommelenArrows #142181 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniShadow #212091 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierATS #192127 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayMcLaren #162159 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterWolf #82239 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
V. BrambillaSurtees #202117 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JabouilleRenault #281968 No error range DNFTurbo Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #182135 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. LaudaBrabham #12414 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiTyrrell #112187 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMerzario #291908 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassATS #122187 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonBrabham #102203 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntMcLaren #132185 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. KeeganSurtees #222057 Grid unnumbered No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckShadow #232048 Grid unnumbered No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. LungerMcLaren #152165 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. LeoniEnsign #301895 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergTheodore #271984 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueTeam Lotus #261992 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. OngaisShadow #242019 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyHesketh #252000 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not prequalify 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 loss

Lauda−70.3 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Regazzoni+10 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Reutemann 18pts +4
  2. 2 Andretti 18pts −1
  3. 3 Peterson 14pts −1
  4. 4 Depailler 14pts 0
  5. 5 Lauda 10pts −2

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.

ATS

JarierP11+35.4 Elo
MassDNF−40.1 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Brabham

LaudaDNF−70.3 Elo
WatsonDNF−51.0 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 (Andretti)
19
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 1 +9 18 P1 +56.1 2,371
P2 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 4 +2 +6 18 P2 +44.9 2,381
P3 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 12 +9 +4 14 P4 +44.9 2,350
P4 🇸🇪 R.Peterson 6 +2 +3 14 P3 +50.7 2,302
P5 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 14 +9 +2 4 P8 +37.9 2,315
P6 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 9 +3 +1 1 P13 +43.6 2,269
P7 🇦🇺 A.Jones 8 +1 0 3 P9 +26.1 2,297
P8 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 15 +7 0 6 P6 +48.6 2,202
P9 🇩🇪 R.Stommelen 18 +9 0 0 P18 +34.8 2,216
P10 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 20 +10 0 2 P11 +51.0 2,142
P11 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 19 +8 0 0 P16 +35.4 2,162
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 11 0 1 P14 +20.4 2,179
DNF 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 10 0 0 P20 -6.4 2,232
DNF 🇮🇹 V.Brambilla 17 0 0 P22 +17.9 2,134
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jabouille 13 0 0 P24 +46.4 2,015
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 2 0 0 P17 -0.3 2,135
DNF 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 3 0 10 P5 -70.3 2,344
DNF 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 22 0 2 P12 -26.8 2,160
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 21 0 0 P25 +31.5 1,940
DNF 🇩🇪 J.Mass 16 0 0 P15 -40.1 2,146
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Watson 5 0 4 P7 -51.0 2,152
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 7 0 3 P10 -53.0 2,132
DNF 🇬🇧 R.Keegan 0 0 0 P27 -27.5 2,030
DNF 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 0 0 0 P23 -31.8 2,016
DNQ 🇺🇸 B.Lunger 0 0 0 P21 -68.0 2,097
DNQ 🇮🇹 L.Leoni 0 0 0 P28 -12.9 1,883
DNQ 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 0 0 0 P29 -37.2 1,947
DNQ 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 0 0 0 P19 -45.7 1,946
DNQ 🇺🇸 D.Ongais 0 0 0 P26 -58.5 1,961
DNQ 🇮🇪 D.Daly 0 0 0 P33 -60.8 1,939

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes