IMSA Analyst

IMSA Data Analysis Skill

Purpose

Analyze IMSA racing data from the DuckDB database providing insights into lap times, driver performance, team comparisons, weather impacts, and race strategies.

Query

Query with the skill included ./query.sh "SELECT 1". Schema can be found in ./schema.md

Output Formats:

• Default: Markdown tables (-markdown flag)
• CSV Use ./query.sh --csv "SELECT ..." for token-efficient output with large result sets

You may have to use --remote parameter to access the database, and that may require the use of INSTALL httpfs if its not already there. You will figure it out.

Quick Reference: Standard Analysis Workflow

1. Find your session: WHERE event = 'X' AND session = 'race' → get session_id
2. Pick your class: GTP, LMP2, or GTD - analyze each separately
3. Filter properly: WHERE session_id = X AND class = 'Y' AND flags = 'GF' AND lap_time_driver_quartile IN (1, 2)
4. **Never compare lap times across different tracks (events), and usually you should avoid comparing between different session_ids because the conditions change.
5. Never compare between different classes
6. Always default to session = 'race' and top 50% of laps unless asked otherwise
7. Percentages are not often useful: In racing we want to see the difference in timespans (seconds down to the hundredths). Sometimes percentages are useful, in these cases just include both.

⚠️ CRITICAL CONSTRAINTS

1. Sessions Are the Unit of Comparison

Always compare within a single session_id. A session_id uniquely identifies one specific session (e.g., "2025 Sebring Race"). Laps from different sessions should NOT be compared directly.

✅ DEFAULT: Filter by session_id (captures year, event, session, start_date) ❌ AVOID: Comparing across multiple session_ids without explicit reason

It's a good idea to start with querying the seasons table at the beginning. Example:

./query "SELECT * FROM seasons WHERE session = 'race' AND season in (2024,2025) ORDER BY date"

2. Race Sessions Are What Matter

Default to session = 'race' unless specifically asked otherwise. Practice and qualifying have different objectives, tire strategies, and fuel loads.

✅ ALWAYS: Start with race sessions
⚠️ ONLY IF ASKED: Look at practice or qualifying data

3. Classes Within Sessions Are NOT Comparable

GTP ≠ LMP2 ≠ GTD even in the same session. Different classes have completely different car specs and performance.

❌ NEVER: Compare GTP times to GTD times
✅ ALWAYS: Analyze each class separately within the session

4. Averages Require Session Context

When calculating average lap times, ALWAYS filter to a single session_id AND class. Averaging across sessions or classes produces meaningless numbers.

The Golden Filtering Rule:

WHERE session_id = X                     -- Single session
  AND class = 'Y'                        -- Single class
  AND bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)         -- BPillar top 50% (race sessions only)

5. Focus on Representative Performance

For performance analysis, use BPillar filtering - automatically excludes pit laps, first lap, slow laps, and traffic.

✅ ALWAYS: Filter to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2) for pace analysis in races ✅ ALTERNATIVE: Use lap_time_driver_quartile IN (1, 2) for non-race sessions ❌ AVOID: Including quartiles 3 and 4 when analyzing true pace

The bpillar_quartile column (race sessions only) intelligently filters laps:

• Automatically excludes: First lap of race, pit in/out laps
• Speed requirements: Within 110% of class fastest AND 105% of driver's fastest
• Quartile 1 = Fastest 25% of qualifying laps (BEST)
• Quartile 2 = 25-50% percentile of qualifying laps (still good)
• Quartile 3 = 50-75% percentile (slower, ignore for performance)
• Quartile 4 = Slowest 25% (ignore for performance)
• NULL = Non-race sessions or laps that don't meet BPillar criteria

By filtering to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2), you get only clean, representative racing pace.

6. What IS Valid Across Sessions?

While lap times aren't comparable across sessions, these analyses ARE valid:

• Participation tracking: Which drivers/teams competed in which races
• Results and standings: Race finishes, points, championships
• Reliability metrics: DNF rates, mechanical issues across the season
• Strategy patterns: Average number of pit stops, stint lengths (as counts, not times)
• Relative performance: "% off pole" or "gap to leader" within each session
• Career statistics: Number of races, podiums, wins (not absolute lap times)
• Consistency trends: Is a driver's CV improving session-to-session? (calculate per session, then compare)

⚠️ Still not valid: Averaging lap times across different sessions, even with quartile filtering. Each session must be analyzed independently first.

Example valid cross-session query:

-- Races participated by driver (not comparing lap times!)
SELECT 
    driver_name,
    COUNT(DISTINCT session_id) as race_count,
    COUNT(DISTINCT event) as unique_venues,
    STRING_AGG(DISTINCT event, ', ' ORDER BY event) as events_raced
FROM laps
WHERE year = '2025' 
    AND session = 'race'
GROUP BY driver_name
ORDER BY race_count DESC;

Core Capabilities

1. Lap Time Analysis

• Fastest Laps: Identify fastest laps by driver, class, session
• Representative Pace: Focus on top 50% or 25% of laps to eliminate traffic/mistakes
• Consistency: Calculate standard deviation and variance in clean lap times
• Progression: Track how lap times evolve over a stint or session
• Comparative Analysis: Compare drivers or teams within same session/class

2. Driver Performance

• Driver Rankings: Rank drivers by fastest lap, average pace, consistency
• Stint Analysis: Analyze driver performance across multiple stints
• Head-to-Head: Compare teammate performance or class rivals
• License Impact: Correlate license levels with performance
• Driver Identification: Use driver_id (VARCHAR) for stable identification across name variants

3. Team & Strategy Analysis

• Pit Stop Timing: Analyze pit stop durations and strategy windows
• Stint Length: Optimal stint durations by class, conditions, fuel strategy
• Driver Rotation: Track driver changes and their impact on pace
• Race Strategy: Identify caution windows, undercuts, overcuts

4. Weather Correlation

• Temperature Impact: How air/track temp affects lap times
• Rain Performance: Identify strong wet-weather drivers/teams
• Condition Changes: Track pace changes as conditions evolve
• Optimal Conditions: Find ideal temperature/humidity windows

5. Track-Specific Insights

• Venue Comparison: Compare performance across different tracks
• Track Records: Identify fastest times at each venue
• Sector Analysis: Deep dive into S1, S2, S3 performance
• Track Evolution: How the track improves over a session

Essential Queries

Finding the Right Session

-- First, identify the session_id you want to analyze
SELECT 
    session_id,
    year,
    event,
    session,
    start_date,
    COUNT(*) as total_laps,
    COUNT(DISTINCT class) as classes
FROM laps
WHERE year = '2025'
    AND event = 'Sebring'
    AND session = 'race'  -- almost always race
GROUP BY session_id, year, event, session, start_date
ORDER BY start_date;

Finding Driver IDs

-- driver_id is a string like 'firstname lastname' - look up by name first
SELECT DISTINCT driver_id, driver_name
FROM laps
WHERE driver_name LIKE '%Beche%'  -- partial match
ORDER BY driver_name;

Time Formatting Macro

Always use this macro for human-readable times:

CREATE OR REPLACE MACRO format_time(t) AS (
    CASE
        WHEN t > 3600 THEN STRFTIME('%H:%M:%S', MAKE_TIMESTAMP(CAST(t * 1000000 AS BIGINT))) || '.' || LPAD(CAST(FLOOR((t * 1000) % 1000) AS VARCHAR), 3, '0')
        ELSE STRFTIME('%M:%S', MAKE_TIMESTAMP(CAST(t * 1000000 AS BIGINT))) || '.' || LPAD(CAST(FLOOR((t * 1000) % 1000) AS VARCHAR), 3, '0')
    END
);

Fastest Lap in a Session

-- Get fastest laps per class in a specific race session
SELECT
    driver_name,
    team_name,
    car,
    class,
    format_time(lap_time) AS lap_time,
    lap AS lap_number
FROM laps
WHERE session_id = 12345              -- ← Use the session_id from query above
    AND class = 'GTP'                 -- ← Analyze each class separately
    AND bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)    -- BPillar top 50% (auto-excludes pit/slow laps)
ORDER BY lap_time ASC
LIMIT 10;

Driver Consistency Analysis

-- Compare drivers within a single race session using their best laps
SELECT
    driver_name,
    COUNT(*) AS total_laps,
    format_time(MIN(lap_time)) AS fastest,
    format_time(AVG(lap_time)) AS average,
    format_time(STDDEV(lap_time)) AS std_dev,
    ROUND(STDDEV(lap_time) / AVG(lap_time) * 100, 2) AS cv_percent
FROM laps
WHERE session_id = 12345                    -- ← Single session only
    AND class = 'GTP'                       -- ← Single class only
    AND bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)          -- BPillar top 50% representative pace
GROUP BY driver_name
HAVING COUNT(*) >= 5                        -- Minimum lap sample for bpillar top 50%
ORDER BY cv_percent ASC;

Pit Stop Analysis

-- Analyze pit stops in a specific race
SELECT 
    driver_name,
    team_name,
    car,
    lap,
    format_time(pit_time) AS pit_duration,
    session_time_lap_number
FROM laps
WHERE session_id = 12345    -- ← Single race session
    AND pit_time IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY pit_time ASC
LIMIT 20;

Weather Impact on Pace

-- Weather effects within a single race session and class
SELECT
    CAST(track_temp_f / 10 AS INT) * 10 AS temp_bucket,
    COUNT(*) AS laps,
    format_time(AVG(lap_time)) AS avg_lap_time,
    format_time(MIN(lap_time)) AS fastest_lap
FROM laps
WHERE session_id = 12345                    -- ← Single race session
    AND class = 'GTP'                       -- ← Single class
    AND bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)          -- BPillar representative performance
    AND track_temp_f IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY temp_bucket
ORDER BY temp_bucket;

Stint Performance Degradation

-- Track tire degradation for a specific driver in a race
-- NOTE: Using ALL laps here to see full degradation curve
SELECT
    driver_name,
    stint_number,
    stint_lap,
    format_time(lap_time) AS lap_time,
    lap_time_driver_quartile,
    session_time_lap_number
FROM laps
WHERE session_id = 12345              -- ← Single race session
    AND driver_id = 'tobi lutke'      -- ← Use driver_id string (e.g., 'firstname lastname')
    AND lap_time IS NOT NULL
    AND flags = 'GF'                  -- Green flag only to exclude cautions
ORDER BY stint_number, stint_lap;

-- Alternative: Focus only on clean, representative laps
-- WHERE ... AND lap_time_driver_quartile IN (1, 2)

Head-to-Head Teammate Comparison

-- Compare teammates in a single race session using representative pace
WITH teammate_stats AS (
    SELECT
        driver_name,
        team_name,
        COUNT(*) AS laps,
        MIN(lap_time) AS fastest,
        AVG(lap_time) AS average
    FROM laps
    WHERE session_id = 12345              -- ← Single race session
        AND team_name = 'Porsche Penske Motorsport'
        AND bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)    -- BPillar top 50% pace
    GROUP BY driver_name, team_name
)
SELECT
    driver_name,
    laps,
    format_time(fastest) AS fastest_lap,
    format_time(average) AS avg_lap,
    format_time(average - (SELECT MIN(average) FROM teammate_stats)) AS gap_to_fastest,
    ROUND((average - (SELECT MIN(average) FROM teammate_stats)), 3) AS gap_seconds
FROM teammate_stats
ORDER BY average;

Best Practices

1. Filter Strategy (CRITICAL)

• ALWAYS filter by session_id: This is your primary key for any lap time analysis
• Default to race sessions: Use session = 'race' unless specifically asked for practice/qualifying
• ALWAYS filter by class: GTP/LMP2/GTD must be analyzed separately
• ALWAYS filter to top laps: Use lap_time_driver_quartile IN (1, 2) for representative pace
• The golden rule: WHERE session_id = X AND class = 'Y' AND lap_time_driver_quartile IN (1, 2)
• Then filter on flags: Use flags = 'GF' for clean lap comparisons
• Exception - degradation analysis: When studying tire wear or stint degradation, you may want all laps

2. Aggregation Tips

• Focus on representative laps: Filter to top 50% or 25% for pace analysis
• Averages require session context: NEVER average lap times across different session_ids
• Adjust sample sizes: When using top 50% filter, ~10 laps minimum; without filter, ~20 laps minimum
• Time formatting: Always format times for human output using the macro
• NULL handling: Many fields can be NULL; use IS NOT NULL filters
• Class separation: Each class must be aggregated independently
• Green flag only: For pace analysis, use flags = 'GF' to exclude caution laps

3. Performance Optimization

• Use session_id: Single most efficient filter for partitioning data
• Use bpillar_quartile: Pre-calculated, indexed, and contains all necessary filters
• Avoid cross-session queries: Rarely needed and computationally expensive
• Leverage year views: Use laps_2025 instead of WHERE year = '2025' if available
• Sector queries: S1/S2/S3 times can have NULLs; always check
• Weather is pre-joined: No need for separate lookups
• Index-friendly filters: session_id, then class, then bpillar_quartile

4. Common Gotchas

• 🚨 MOST IMPORTANT: Use session_id for all lap time comparisons - never compare across sessions
• 🚨 SECOND MOST IMPORTANT: Almost always use session = 'race' unless explicitly asked otherwise
• 🚨 THIRD MOST IMPORTANT: Filter to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2) for race pace analysis
• driver_id is VARCHAR: Use string values like driver_id = 'tobi lutke', not numeric IDs
• Car numbers are strings: '01' ≠ '1' - use exact matches
• stint_lap is 0-indexed: First lap after driver change is lap 0
• session_time_lap_number: Tracks leader's progress, not individual car laps
• Driver IDs vs names: Use driver_id (VARCHAR) for joins/filters, driver_name for display
• Practice ≠ Race: Different fuel loads, tire strategies, and objectives
• bpillar_quartile is NULL for non-race sessions: Use lap_time_driver_quartile for practice/qualifying
• BPillar automatically handles filtering: No need to manually exclude pit laps, first lap, or slow laps

Investigation Workflows

Before Any Lap Time Analysis - Validation Checklist

✅ Have I identified the specific session_id? ✅ Have I specified a single class? ✅ Am I using session = 'race' (unless specifically asked for practice/qualifying)? ✅ Have I filtered to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2) for race analysis? ✅ Am I only comparing lap times within these boundaries? ✅ For averages, am I filtering to one session_id + one class + bpillar quartiles 1-2?

New Event Analysis

1. Find the race session:

   SELECT session_id, start_date, COUNT(*) as laps
   FROM laps 
   WHERE event = 'Sebring' AND year = '2025' AND session = 'race'
   GROUP BY session_id, start_date;
   

2. Identify classes in that session:

   SELECT DISTINCT class FROM laps WHERE session_id = X;
   

3. Analyze each class separately - pull fastest laps per class
4. Analyze weather conditions during race (per class)
5. Review pit strategies and stint lengths (per class)

Driver Deep Dive

1. Find all race sessions for driver:

   SELECT DISTINCT session_id, event, year, class
   FROM laps
   WHERE driver_id = 'tobi lutke' AND session = 'race'  -- driver_id is VARCHAR
   ORDER BY year, event;
   

2. For each session_id + class combination:
   • Calculate pace statistics (using top 50% laps)
   • Compare to teammates and class competitors
   • Identify strongest/weakest sectors
   • Analyze consistency metrics (CV, std dev)
3. Look for patterns across multiple sessions (but analyze each session independently first)

Strategy Investigation (for a specific race session)

1. Set your session_id: Focus on one race at a time
2. Map pit windows: When did leaders pit? (filter by class)
3. Compare stint lengths across teams in that class
4. Identify caution periods (flags = 'FCY' or similar)
5. Calculate time gained/lost in pits
6. Assess undercut/overcut opportunities within the session

Weather Analysis (for a specific race session)

1. Choose a session_id and class to analyze
2. Correlate lap times with temperature buckets within that session
3. Identify rain periods (raining = TRUE) during the session
4. Compare pace across dry/wet conditions (same session, same class)
5. Track tire degradation in heat (stint analysis)
6. Find optimal operating windows for that track/class combination

Output Formatting

For Human Consumption

• Format all times: format_time(lap_time)
• Round percentages: ROUND(x, 2)
• Use descriptive aliases: AS fastest_lap, not AS fl
• Sort meaningfully: Usually by time ASC or lap count DESC
• Limit results: Top 10-20 unless specifically asked for more

For Further Analysis

• Include row counts and sample sizes
• Provide both absolute and relative metrics
• Show distribution statistics (min, max, avg, stddev)
• Include confidence indicators (lap counts, conditions)
• Note any data quality issues or missing values

Common Analysis Requests

"Who's fastest at [track]?" → Find the race session_id, then query fastest laps per class (use top 50% filter)

"Who won the [event] race?" → Valid question - find the race session_id, analyze by class

"Who's fastest overall in 2025?" → ❌ INVALID - lap times aren't comparable across different tracks

"What's [driver]'s average pace?" → Must specify session_id and class, filter to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)

"How did [driver] do in the race?" → Get all laps for driver_id at specific session_id, show pace relative to class using bpillar quartiles

"Compare [team A] vs [team B]" → Only valid within same session_id and same class, filter to bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)

"What was the pit strategy at Sebring?" → Filter to the Sebring race session_id, show pit_time entries per class

"How does weather affect pace at Road America?" → Choose the Road America race session_id, group by temperature within each class (top laps only)

"Who's most consistent in GTP?" → Calculate CV for a specific race session_id, filtered to GTP class and top 50% laps

"Show me tire degradation for [driver]" → Use ALL laps for specific session_id to see full wear curve (exception to quartile rule)

"Best lap times for [driver]?" → Specify session_id + class, show their fastest laps using bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2)

Key Reminders

1. 🚨 Use session_id for all lap time comparisons: Never compare across different sessions
2. 🚨 Default to race sessions: session = 'race' unless specifically asked for practice/qualifying
3. 🚨 Filter to BPillar laps: Use bpillar_quartile IN (1, 2) for race pace analysis
4. Each class is independent: Analyze GTP, LMP2, GTD separately within each session
5. Averages require single session + single class + bpillar filtering: Otherwise the number is meaningless
6. When to use ALL laps: Stint degradation analysis, race distance simulations, or specific requests
7. BPillar handles most filtering: No need for manual flags = 'GF' or pit lap exclusions
8. Weather is pre-joined: Already aligned to each lap
9. driver_id is VARCHAR: Use string values like 'tobi lutke' for filtering/joins, driver_name for display
10. Format times for humans: Always use the format_time macro
11. Quartile logic: Q1 = fastest 25%, Q2 = 25-50%, Q3 = 50-75%, Q4 = slowest 25%
12. BPillar vs lap_time_driver_quartile: Use bpillar for races (intelligent filtering), lap_time_driver for practice/qualifying
13. Output formats: Default markdown tables, use --csv flag for token efficiency with large results

Remember: The goal is actionable insights within the context of a specific race session. Always filter to session_id + class + top laps first, then analyze. Present findings clearly and suggest follow-up questions when appropriate.