Statistical anomalies in motorsports.

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Benetton is the only team in F1 history to win Grands Prix under two different team nationalities; 26 of their victories were under a British licence and 1 was under an Italian licence.
 
Liquid
Benetton is the only team in F1 history to win Grands Prix under two different team nationalities; 26 of their victories were under a British licence and 1 was under an Italian licence.
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Now you've sent me down the rabbit hole of all constructors to change nationalities.

Alfa Romeo (Italian and Swiss)
Benetton (Italian and British)
BMW Sauber (German and Swiss)
Force India (Indian and British)
Lotus (British and Malaysian)
Marussia (Russian and British)
Red Bull (British and Austrian)
Renault (French and British)
Shadow (British and American)
Virgin (British and Russian)
 
The Stage system of racing, where a race is broken up into 3 sections with championship points awarded to the top 10 at the end of stages 1 and 2, was introduced to NASCAR at the start of 2017. The Cup race at Martinsville last weekend was the first stage race where the winner didn't score the most points:
  • Denny Hamlin won stages 1 and 2, gaining 10 points each, came second overall for another 35, and got 1 point for fastest lap, totalling 56;
  • Chase Elliot was outside the top 10 after stages 1 and 2 so scored no points from either, but won the race for 55 championship points.
 
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Roo
The Stage system of racing, where a race is broken up into 3 sections with championship points awarded to the top 10 at the end of stages 1 and 2, was introduced to NASCAR at the start of 2017. The Cup race at Martinsville last weekend was the first stage race where the winner didn't score the most points:
  • Denny Hamlin won stages 1 and 2, gaining 10 points each, came second overall for another 35, and got 1 point for fastest lap, totalling 56;
  • Chase Elliot was outside the top 10 after stages 1 and 2 so scored no points from either, but won the race for 55 championship points.
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Yeah, kinda smells a bit I reckon. Almost as much as splitting the races into stages.

I'm OK with drivers scoring points for things like qualifying so long as pole position scores the most.
I'm even fine with points for setting the fastest lap of the race, leading a lap of the race or leading the most laps of the race.
What should not be possible in any way at all, is for someone to end up with more points than the winner of the race. That should always be the ultimate prize and pay the most in points.
 
Pete05
Yeah, kinda smells a bit I reckon. Almost as much as splitting the races into stages.

I'm OK with drivers scoring points for things like qualifying so long as pole position scores the most.
I'm even fine with points for setting the fastest lap of the race, leading a lap of the race or leading the most laps of the race.
What should not be possible in any way at all, is for someone to end up with more points than the winner of the race. That should always be the ultimate prize and pay the most in points.
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In fairness to NASCAR the events of last weekend are the only possible combination that can allow someone to score more points than the winner; the points system has a 20 point gap from 1st to 2nd, then a 1 point gap from 2nd down, so winning does give a healthy points advantage.

Do you follow the WRC at all? The points system they've got at the moment means the points scored often bears little resemblance to the finishing order.
 
Roo
In fairness to NASCAR the events of last weekend are the only possible combination that can allow someone to score more points than the winner; the points system has a 20 point gap from 1st to 2nd, then a 1 point gap from 2nd down, so winning does give a healthy points advantage.

Do you follow the WRC at all? The points system they've got at the moment means the points scored often bears little resemblance to the finishing order.
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I've followed the WRC since the final year of Gtoup B, admittedly at differing levels of commitment.
I used to buy Autosport magazine every week, and others, but not just for the WRC, and we used to get a 1 hr TV review after every round, but if I didn't follow the YouTube channel nowadays, I wouldn't have a clue what's going on.
I've been more dedicated in 2025/26 thanks to Taylor Gill just missing the WRC3 title and having a limited program for this year in WRC2.
Unfortunately, I feel like the current version of the WRC is Formula Yaris, with Hyundai playing a dutiful support role, and Ford wasting their time and money by continuing to turn up.
I'd much rather the rulemakers just adopt the WRC2 class as the main attraction for its increase in manufacturer variety and unpredictability from 2027 and move on.
As for the points and how they work, I just look at the results and points table at the end of each rally.
 
Pete05
I've followed the WRC since the final year of Gtoup B, admittedly at differing levels of commitment.
I used to buy Autosport magazine every week, and others, but not just for the WRC, and we used to get a 1 hr TV review after every round, but if I didn't follow the YouTube channel nowadays, I wouldn't have a clue what's going on.
I've been more dedicated in 2025/26 thanks to Taylor Gill just missing the WRC3 title and having a limited program for this year in WRC2.
Unfortunately, I feel like the current version of the WRC is Formula Yaris, with Hyundai playing a dutiful support role, and Ford wasting their time and money by continuing to turn up.
I'd much rather the rulemakers just adopt the WRC2 class as the main attraction for its increase in manufacturer variety and unpredictability from 2027 and move on.
As for the points and how they work, I just look at the results and points table at the end of each rally.
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We won't be far off that in 2027 to be fair, although no one really knows what it's going to look like, we do know that there is a high likelihood that Rally2 and WRC27 cars will be competitive with each-other. With Hyundai even committing to a Rally2 car for their main WRC title charge next year whilst Toyota are developing a new WRC27 machine. Apparently 10 'tuners' are also registering interest in WRC27, although not many have actually committed yet.
 
MagpieRacer
We won't be far off that in 2027 to be fair, although no one really knows what it's going to look like, we do know that there is a high likelihood that Rally2 and WRC27 cars will be competitive with each-other. With Hyundai even committing to a Rally2 car for their main WRC title charge next year whilst Toyota are developing a new WRC27 machine. Apparently 10 'tuners' are also registering interest in WRC27, although not many have actually committed yet.
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The WRC is just crying out for a stable set of sensible regulations.
Nothing more than instability will scare away the money behind any class. That includes commitments from manufacturers, and any kind of decent media package that can be sold to sponsors for the competitors or the championship.
Extremely difficult to put forward any proposal when it's full of question marks.
 
I just noticed, there are an awful lot of iconic drivers who died an untimely death in their early 30s. Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark, and Bruce McLaren are three that I've immediately noticed.
 
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MIE1992
I just noticed, there are an awful lot of iconic drivers who died an untimely death in their early 30s. Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark, and Bruce McLaren are three that I've immediately noticed.
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Davey Allison and Fireball Roberts would also make this list. Alan Kulwicki as well. I'm not sure if he falls into the same category and of the 3, only Roberts died in a car crash (the other 2 died in air accidents).
 
In the eras where death was an occupational hazard, I'd say that most drivers needed to make it to their 30s to become reputable enough to be remembered after dying whilst racing.

There must surely be a plethora of 20-somethings who are less well remembered because of their lack of comparative success.
 
Liquid
In the eras where death was an occupational hazard, I'd say that most drivers needed to make it to their 30s to become reputable enough to be remembered after dying whilst racing.

There must surely be a plethora of 20-somethings who are less well remembered because of their lack of comparative success.
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I can only think of one driver in that category: Greg Moore.
 

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