Round 1 · 1971

Kyalami

Midrand, South Africa · March 06, 1971 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R011971
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25 stored results 25/25 Elo snapshots 25/25 numbered grid slots 0/25 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.

0/25 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.

0/25 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 → P25vs expectedReading
M. AndrettiFerrari #231944 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. StewartTyrrell #122072 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. RegazzoniFerrari #22337 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. WisellLotus-Ford #72125 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. AmonMatra #32329 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. HulmeMcLaren #42285 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. RedmanSurtees #211972 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. IckxFerrari #12365 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. HillBrabham #162032 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PetersonMarch-Ford #92108 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. PescaroloMarch-Ford #62187 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. StommelenSurtees #102095 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de AdamichMarch-Alfa Romeo #241925 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. FittipaldiLotus-Ford #142059 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. SurteesSurtees #132070 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
F. CevertTyrrell #152055 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. GanleyBRM #182000 No error range DNFPhysical Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. RodríguezBRM #52269 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. CharltonBrabham #201982 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. SiffertBRM #172000 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LoveMarch-Ford #82125 No error range DNFDifferential Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. PretoriusBrabham #191999 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. GethinMcLaren #112092 No error range DNFFuel leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. BonnierMcLaren #221952 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. Soler-RoigMarch-Ford #251873 No error range DNFEngine 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

Wisell+10 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Andretti 9pts
  2. 2 Stewart 6pts
  3. 3 Regazzoni 4pts
  4. 4 Wisell 3pts
  5. 5 Amon 2pts

Opening round: no earlier standings in this season to compare.

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.

Tyrrell

StewartP2+122.5 Elo
CevertDNF−21.3 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 →
25
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Regazzoni)
12
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 4 +3 +9 9 P1 +175.1 2,119
P2 🇬🇧 J.Stewart 1 -1 +6 6 P2 +122.5 2,194
P3 🇨🇭 C.Regazzoni 3 +4 4 P3 +31.9 2,369
P4 🇸🇪 R.Wisell 14 +10 +3 3 P4 +83.1 2,208
P5 🇳🇿 C.Amon 2 -3 +2 2 P5 +12.5 2,342
P6 🇳🇿 D.Hulme 7 +1 +1 1 P6 +13.0 2,298
P7 🇬🇧 B.Redman 17 +10 0 0 P7 +102.4 2,074
P8 🇧🇪 J.Ickx 8 0 0 P8 -27.7 2,337
P9 🇬🇧 G.Hill 19 +10 0 0 P9 +61.0 2,093
P10 🇸🇪 R.Peterson 13 +3 0 0 P10 +24.7 2,133
P11 🇫🇷 H.Pescarolo 18 +7 0 0 P11 -11.9 2,175
P12 🇩🇪 R.Stommelen 15 +3 0 0 P12 +7.8 2,103
P13 🇮🇹 A.de Adamich 22 +9 0 0 P13 +52.5 1,978
DNF 🇧🇷 E.Fittipaldi 5 0 0 P14 -1.5 2,058
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Surtees 6 0 0 P15 -15.9 2,054
DNF 🇫🇷 F.Cevert 9 0 0 P16 -21.3 2,033
DNF 🇳🇿 H.Ganley 24 0 0 P17 -13.7 1,986
DNF 🇲🇽 P.Rodríguez 10 0 0 P18 -110.8 2,158
DNF 🇿🇦 D.Charlton 16 0 0 P19 -29.2 1,953
DNF 🇨🇭 J.Siffert 12 0 0 P20 -45.9 1,954
DNF 🇿🇼 J.Love 21 0 0 P21 -98.5 2,026
DNF 🇿🇦 J.Pretorius 20 0 0 P22 -66.7 1,932
DNF 🇬🇧 P.Gethin 11 0 0 P23 -108.7 1,983
DNF 🇸🇪 J.Bonnier 23 0 0 P24 -73.4 1,879
DNF 🇪🇸 A.Soler-Roig 25 0 0 P25 -61.2 1,812

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes