Round 3 · 1961

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Spa, Belgium · June 18, 1961 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R031961
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26 stored results 26/26 Elo snapshots 21/26 numbered grid slots 0/26 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.

0/26 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.

0/26 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 → P26vs expectedReading
P. HillFerrari #12404 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
W. von TripsFerrari #22402 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. GintherFerrari #42306 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
O. GendebienFerrari #202029 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. SurteesCooper-Climax #122121 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. GurneyPorsche #112124 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. BonnierPorsche #162080 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. MossLotus-Climax #32388 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LewisCooper-Climax #21.52000 No error range P9 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. GregoryCooper-Climax #251881 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. de BeaufortPorsche #172048 No error range P11 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. ClarkLotus-Climax #72257 No error range P12 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BrooksBRM #152081 No error range P13 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. HillBRM #192036 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. TrintignantCooper-Maserati #102155 No error range DNFGearbox Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. BandiniCooper-Maserati #21.52000 No error range DNFWheel bearing Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. BrabhamCooper-Climax #52301 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. McLarenCooper-Climax #62267 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
I. IrelandLotus-Climax #92172 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
L. BianchiLotus-Climax #241909 No error range DNFOil leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
W. MairesseLotus-Climax #132097 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. MarshLotus-Climax #142083 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
W. SeidelLotus-Climax #231952 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
I. BurgessLotus-Climax #261855 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. AllisonLotus-Climax #82180 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. TaylorLotus-Climax #182046 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 loss

Allison−193.2 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Gurney+4 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Hill 19pts +2
  2. 2 von Trips 18pts 0
  3. 3 Moss 12pts −2
  4. 4 Ginther 12pts 0
  5. 5 Clark 4pts 0

Movement since round 2. 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.

BRM

BrooksP13+25.0 Elo
HillDNF+30.9 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 →
26
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Hill)
13
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇺🇸 P.Hill 1 +9 19 P1 +66.6 2,471
P2 🇩🇪 W.von Trips 2 +6 18 P2 +52.9 2,455
P3 🇺🇸 R.Ginther 5 +2 +4 12 P4 +71.2 2,377
P4 🇧🇪 O.Gendebien 3 -1 +3 3 P6 +177.9 2,207
P5 🇬🇧 J.Surtees 4 -1 +2 2 P8 +121.8 2,243
P6 🇺🇸 D.Gurney 10 +4 +1 3 P7 +105.8 2,230
P7 🇸🇪 J.Bonnier 9 +2 0 0 P11 +111.7 2,192
P8 🇬🇧 S.Moss 8 0 12 P3 -29.3 2,359
P9 🇬🇧 J.Lewis 13 +4 0 0 P17 +118.5 2,119
P10 🇺🇸 M.Gregory 12 +2 0 0 P18 +150.5 2,032
P11 🇳🇱 C.de Beaufort 14 +3 0 0 P19 +68.7 2,116
P12 🇬🇧 J.Clark 16 +4 0 4 P5 -39.1 2,218
P13 🇬🇧 T.Brooks 7 -6 0 0 P15 +25.0 2,106
DNF 🇬🇧 G.Hill 6 0 0 P13 +30.9 2,067
DNF 🇫🇷 M.Trintignant 20 0 0 P12 -37.9 2,117
DNF 🇮🇹 L.Bandini 17 0 0 P22 +17.7 2,018
DNF 🇦🇺 J.Brabham 11 0 1 P10 -128.5 2,173
DNF 🇳🇿 B.McLaren 15 0 1 P9 -129.4 2,137
DNF 🇬🇧 I.Ireland 18 0 0 P23 -102.9 2,069
DNF 🇧🇪 L.Bianchi 23 0 0 P26 -3.3 1,905
DNF 🇧🇪 W.Mairesse 19 0 0 P27 -97.9 2,000
DNS 🇬🇧 T.Marsh 0 0 0 P28 -105.8 1,977
DNS 🇩🇪 W.Seidel 0 0 0 P29 -63.2 1,889
DNS 🇬🇧 I.Burgess 0 0 0 P24 -42.3 1,813
DNS 🇬🇧 C.Allison 0 0 0 P14 -193.2 1,987
DNS 🇬🇧 H.Taylor 0 0 0 P25 -146.5 1,899

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes