Motorsports: Changes to Beyond the Flag power rankings for 2019
By Asher Fair
As announced in early October, changes are coming to Beyond the Flag’s motorsports power rankings for Formula 1, Formula E, the NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar for the upcoming seasons. Here is what those changes are slated to be.
The first full year of using our new power rankings formulas for Formula 1, Formula E, the NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar is in the books. While the 2019 Formula 1, NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar seasons are not scheduled to begin for a few months yet, the 2018-2019 Formula E season is scheduled to get underway in under two weeks.
As a result, we have a few small changes to announce regarding our power rankings formulas for these four series in their respective upcoming seasons, which we discussed in early October.
As far as the formulas themselves are concerned, the formulas for three of these four series are set to remain the same. Here is what they have been and what they are set to be in for the upcoming seasons in these three series.
Formula 1
Driver
Total = ((Wins*10+Top 3*5+Top 5*3+Top 10+Points+Points in most recent race)/Average finish/Average finish in last 5 races)*(100-standings position)
Team
Total = (Full-time driver formula point total/Number of full-time drivers)
Formula E
Driver
Total = ((Wins*10+Top 3*5+Top 5*3+Top 10+Points+Points in most recent race)/Average finish/Average finish in last 5 races)*(100-standings position)
Team
Total = (Full-time driver formula point total/Number of full-time drivers)
IndyCar
Driver
Total = ((Wins*10+Top 3*5+Top 5*3+Top 10+Points+Points in most recent race)/Average finish/Average finish in last 5 races)*(100-standings position)
Team
Total = (Full-time driver formula point total/Number of full-time drivers)
The only minor change to these formulas is the fact that the IndyCar power rankings are now set to include only IndyCar power rankings; separate IndyCar road and street course power rankings for drivers and teams as well as IndyCar oval power rankings for drivers and teams are not on the agenda for the 2019 season. This is subject to change, but it likely won’t.
As far as the NASCAR Cup Series power rankings formulas are concerned, this is where the changes come in. Here is what this past season’s formulas were.
NASCAR Cup Series
Driver
Total = ((Wins*10+Top 3*5+Top 5*3+Top 10+Points+Points in most recent race+playoff points+stage points+stage wins*3)/Average finish/Average finish in last 5 races)*(100-standings position)
Team
Total = (Full-time driver formula point total/Number of full-time drivers)
Next season, the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Power Rankings formula is set to be the same as the formulas for the Formula 1, Formula E and IndyCar driver power rankings.
Here is what it is set to look like next season.
NASCAR Cup Series
Driver
Total = ((Wins*10+Top 3*5+Top 5*3+Top 10+Points+Points in most recent race)/Average finish/Average finish in last 5 races)*(100-standings position)
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What this change does is eliminates playoff points, stage points and stage wins from factoring into the equation. This change has been made for a few reasons.
First of all, playoff points only count as actual points once the playoffs begin, and at this point, they are reflected in each driver’s overall point total, so it makes no sense to count them twice.
Secondly, stage points are already factored into each driver’s overall point total, so it makes no sense to count them twice either, especially when they are points that are awarded based on where drivers are running during the race, not at the end of it.
Finally, similar to the second point, stage wins reflect where drivers are running during the race, not at the end of it, so it makes no sense to have them factor into this formula at all.
The NASCAR Cup Series Team Power Rankings formula, meanwhile, is set to look the same as it did this past season, as it is still set to be the same as the formulas for the Formula 1, Formula E and IndyCar team power rankings.
Other changes
Regarding other changes, there will also no longer be “formulated rankings predictions for after the next race” included in any of the power rankings articles like there were in many of them toward the end of the 2018 Formula 1, NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar seasons.
In terms of how the power rankings will be presented from race to race, we experimented with a few changes toward the end of the 2018 Formula 1, NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar seasons. At this point, we plan on implementing these changes on a full-time basis for the upcoming seasons.
We plan on providing a short introduction following by the non-formulated power rankings and then slides of the formulated power rankings before a separate conclusion slide as opposed to providing a lengthy introduction followed by slides of the formulated power rankings and then separate slides for the non-formulated power rankings and a conclusion, which is what we did for the majority of the 2018 Formula 1, NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar seasons. This, however, is subject to change.
We may or may not add the power rankings, both formulated and non-formulated, as slides on each series standings page. This has also not yet been determined.
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The 2018-2019 Formula E season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, December 15, 2018 while the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, February 17, 2019, the 2019 IndyCar season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 10, 2019 and the 2019 Formula 1 season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 17, 2019.