Round 5 · 1976

Zolder

Heusden-Zolder, Belgium · May 16, 1976 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R051976
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29 stored results 29/29 Elo snapshots 26/29 numbered grid slots 0/29 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.

0/29 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.

0/29 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 → P29vs expectedReading
N. LaudaFerrari #12547 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniFerrari #52263 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #142106 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ScheckterTyrrell #62255 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesSurtees #82215 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. MassMcLaren #32275 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonPenske #132134 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. PerkinsBoro #251993 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierShadow #162092 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. PryceShadow #42274 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. LeclèreWolf #212053 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. KesselBrabham-Ford #291958 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. LungerSurtees #261991 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. PaceBrabham-Alfa Romeo #122151 No error range DNFElectrical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. AmonEnsign #92202 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. HuntMcLaren #22334 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. StuckMarch #192068 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. ErtlHesketh #281960 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. DepaillerTyrrell #72224 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiTeam Lotus #202057 No error range DNFHalfshaft Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. NèveBrabham-Ford #242000 No error range DNFHalfshaft Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. MerzarioMarch #271976 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannBrabham-Alfa Romeo #112165 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PetersonMarch #222032 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. NilssonTeam Lotus #172081 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
V. BrambillaMarch #182068 No error range DNFHalfshaft Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiFittipaldi #102172 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. IckxWolf #152096 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. EdwardsHesketh #232007 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

Laffite+86.5 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Leclère+14 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Lauda 39pts 0
  2. 2 Regazzoni 15pts +2
  3. 3 Hunt 15pts −1
  4. 4 Depailler 10pts −1
  5. 5 Mass 8pts 0

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.

Surtees

JonesP5+45.6 Elo
LungerDNF+46.5 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

McLaren

MassP6+25.1 Elo
HuntDNF−54.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Wolf

LeclèreP11+45.4 Elo
IckxDNQ−81.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Hesketh

ErtlDNF+19.6 Elo
EdwardsDNQ−65.9 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 →
29
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Lauda)
17
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇦🇹 N.Lauda 1 +9 39 P1 +16.9 2,564
P2 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 2 +6 15 P2 +54.9 2,318
P3 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 4 +1 +4 7 P7 +86.5 2,192
P4 🇿🇦 J.Scheckter 7 +3 +3 8 P6 +43.2 2,298
P5 🇦🇺 A.Jones 16 +11 +2 2 P14 +45.6 2,261
P6 🇩🇪 J.Mass 18 +12 +1 8 P5 +25.1 2,300
P7 🇬🇧 J.Watson 17 +10 0 2 P12 +52.0 2,186
P8 🇦🇺 L.Perkins 20 +12 0 0 P20 +80.2 2,073
P9 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 14 +5 0 0 P19 +49.0 2,141
P10 🇬🇧 T.Pryce 13 +3 0 4 P8 -1.8 2,272
P11 🇫🇷 M.Leclère 25 +14 0 0 P23 +45.4 2,098
P12 🇨🇭 L.Kessel 23 +11 0 0 P28 +60.8 2,019
DNF 🇺🇸 B.Lunger 26 0 0 P26 +46.5 2,038
DNF 🇧🇷 C.Pace 9 0 1 P15 +0.2 2,151
DNF 🇳🇿 C.Amon 8 0 2 P13 -19.4 2,183
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Hunt 3 0 15 P3 -54.9 2,279
DNF 🇩🇪 H.Stuck 15 0 3 P10 +0.8 2,069
DNF 🇦🇹 H.Ertl 24 0 0 P30 +19.6 1,979
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Depailler 4 0 10 P4 -51.6 2,172
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 11 0 1 P17 -16.9 2,040
DNF 🇧🇪 P.Nève 19 0 0 P32 -9.9 1,990
DNF 🇮🇹 A.Merzario 21 0 0 P31 -11.2 1,965
DNF 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 12 0 3 P11 -64.6 2,101
DNF 🇸🇪 R.Peterson 10 0 0 P24 -38.1 1,994
DNF 🇸🇪 G.Nilsson 22 0 4 P9 -56.9 2,024
DNF 🇮🇹 V.Brambilla 5 0 0 P21 -60.6 2,008
DNQ 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 0 0 1 P16 -93.5 2,079
DNQ 🇧🇪 J.Ickx 0 0 0 P18 -81.2 2,015
DNQ 🇬🇧 G.Edwards 0 0 0 P37 -65.9 1,941

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes