Round 9 · 1959

Sebring International Raceway

Florida, USA · December 12, 1959 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

The race, in perspective

Race debrief

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

R091959
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19 stored results 19/19 Elo snapshots 18/19 numbered grid slots 0/19 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.

0/19 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.

0/19 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 → P19vs expectedReading
B. McLarenCooper-Climax #102069 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. TrintignantCooper-Climax #52261 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
T. BrooksFerrari #122013 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. BrabhamCooper-Climax #32263 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
I. IrelandTeam Lotus #191876 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
W. von TripsFerrari #82092 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. BlanchardPorsche #152000 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. AllisonFerrari #62126 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. SalvadoriCooper-Maserati #72100 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. WardKurtis Kraft #152000 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de TomasoCooper-OSCA #181979 No error range DNFBrakes Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. HillFerrari #22304 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
F. d'OreyTec-Mec #112063 No error range DNFOil leak Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. MossCooper-Climax #12335 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. SchellCooper-Climax #42262 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. ConstantineCooper-Borgward #152000 No error range DNFOverheating Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. StaceyTeam Lotus #92085 No error range DNFClutch Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. SaidConnaught #152000 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. CadeMaserati #152000 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 gain

Ireland+149.0 Elo

Largest Elo loss

Moss−139.3 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

McLaren+9 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

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

  1. 1 Brabham 31pts 0
  2. 2 Brooks 27pts +1
  3. 3 Moss 25.5pts −1
  4. 4 Hill 20pts 0
  5. 5 Trintignant 19pts +1

Movement since round 8. 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.

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 →
19
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Trintignant)
13
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇳🇿 B.McLaren 10 +9 +8 16.5 P6 +144.9 2,214
P2 🇫🇷 M.Trintignant 5 +3 +7 19 P5 +63.0 2,324
P3 🇬🇧 T.Brooks 4 +1 +4 27 P2 +134.9 2,148
P4 🇦🇺 J.Brabham 2 -2 +3 31 P1 +32.1 2,295
P5 🇬🇧 I.Ireland 9 +4 +2 5 P14 +149.0 2,025
DNF 🇩🇪 W.von Trips 6 0 0 P23 +61.0 2,153
P7 🇺🇸 H.Blanchard 16 +9 0 0 P26 +79.2 2,079
DNF 🇬🇧 C.Allison 11 0 2 P17 +18.5 2,144
DNF 🇬🇧 R.Salvadori 11 0 0 P20 +12.7 2,113
DNF 🇺🇸 R.Ward 19 0 8 P10 +33.9 2,034
DNF 🇦🇷 A.de Tomaso 14 0 0 P50 +26.0 2,005
DNF 🇺🇸 P.Hill 8 0 20 P4 -100.6 2,203
DNF 🇧🇷 F.d'Orey 17 0 0 P34 -34.0 2,029
DNF 🇬🇧 S.Moss 1 0 25.5 P3 -139.3 2,196
DNF 🇺🇸 H.Schell 3 0 5 P13 -133.6 2,128
DNF 🇺🇸 G.Constantine 15 0 0 P51 -56.6 1,943
DNF 🇬🇧 A.Stacey 12 0 0 P30 -102.4 1,982
DNF 🇺🇸 B.Said 13 0 0 P56 -86.8 1,913
DNS 🇺🇸 P.Cade 0 0 0 P57 -101.8 1,898

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes