fix(compare): gap deltas beyond reference laps

Reference-null laps now emit null deltas for all drivers and exclude that
lap window from aligned cumulative totals so later comparisons stay sane.
Challenger-null behavior is unchanged. Compare tab meta documents the policy.

Closes #46

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

cmd/main.go

@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ func main() {
 	ingestMeeting := flag.Int("ingest-meeting", 0, "Ingest meeting metadata and Race Hub datasets for all sessions")
 	ingestSession := flag.Int("ingest-session", 0, "Ingest Race Hub datasets for a session key")
 	ingestNews := flag.Bool("ingest-news", false, "Refresh RSS/Atom paddock briefing feeds")
-	prefetchTrackOutlines := flag.Int("prefetch-track-outlines", 0, "Warm the web track-outline cache for a season year (for web-only hosts, run before --web so /api/v1/track-outline can serve live maps)")
 	dryRun := flag.Bool("dry-run", false, "Preview ingestion without writing domain rows")
 	force := flag.Bool("force", false, "Re-ingest datasets even if already tracked in the session_coverage table as completed")
 	coverageYear := flag.Int("coverage", 0, "Show season coverage report for the given year")
@@ -77,21 +76,11 @@ func main() {
 	if *ingestNews {
 		ingestFlags++
 	}
-	if *prefetchTrackOutlines != 0 {
-		ingestFlags++
-	}
 	if ingestFlags > 0 {
 		if ingestFlags > 1 {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "box-box: only one of --ingest-year, --backfill-season, --ingest-meeting, --ingest-session, --ingest-news, or --prefetch-track-outlines may be set")
+			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "box-box: only one of --ingest-year, --backfill-season, --ingest-meeting, --ingest-session, or --ingest-news may be set")
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
-		if *prefetchTrackOutlines != 0 {
-			if err := runTrackOutlinePrefetch(client, *prefetchTrackOutlines); err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "box-box track outline prefetch error: %v\n", err)
-				os.Exit(1)
-			}
-			return
-		}
 		if *ingestNews {
 			if err := runNewsIngestion(*dryRun, *dbPath); err != nil {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "box-box ingest error: %v\n", err)
@@ -99,7 +88,7 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			return
 		}
-
+		
 		yearVal := *ingestYear
 		if *backfillSeason != 0 {
 			yearVal = *backfillSeason
@@ -185,35 +174,6 @@ func runIngestion(client *api.OpenF1Client, year, meetingKey, sessionKey int, fo
 	return err
 }
 
-func runTrackOutlinePrefetch(client *api.OpenF1Client, year int) error {
-	log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
-
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "track outlines: warming HTTP cache %s for %d\n", api.DefaultCacheDBPath(), year)
-
-	meetings, err := client.GetMeetingsForYear(year)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("fetch meetings for %d: %w", year, err)
-	}
-
-	result := client.PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear(year, meetings)
-	fmt.Printf(
-		"track outlines %d: cached %d/%d unique circuit(s) before, %d/%d after; %d skipped, %d fetched, %d failed\n",
-		result.Year,
-		result.CachedBefore,
-		result.UniqueCircuits,
-		result.CachedAfter,
-		result.UniqueCircuits,
-		result.Skipped,
-		result.Fetched,
-		result.Failed,
-	)
-
-	if result.CachedAfter == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("cached zero track outlines for %d", year)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 func runNewsIngestion(dryRun bool, dbPath string) error {
 	log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
 
@@ -315,7 +275,7 @@ func runCoverageReport(year int, dbPath string) error {
 	}
 
 	fmt.Printf("\n--- Season %d Coverage Report ---\n\n", year)
-	fmt.Printf("%-35s | %-5s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s\n",
+	fmt.Printf("%-35s | %-5s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s | %-2s\n", 
 		"Meeting / Session (Key)", "ID", "DR", "SR", "SG", "ST", "PS", "PO", "RC", "WE", "LA")
 	fmt.Println(strings.Repeat("-", 82))
 

frontend/src/components/CompareView.tsx

@@ -229,7 +229,9 @@ export function CompareView({ sessionKey, results, drivers }: Props) {
         <div>
           <div className="compare-section-title">Race pace</div>
           <div className="compare-section-meta">
-            Cumulative lap-time delta vs {referenceLabel ?? 'reference'}
+            Cumulative lap-time delta vs {referenceLabel ?? 'reference'}. Deltas are plotted
+            only where the reference lap is valid; gaps appear when the reference has no lap
+            time.
           </div>
         </div>
         <SectionState

frontend/src/lib/delta.ts

@@ -21,15 +21,31 @@ export function formatDeltaSeconds(delta: number): string {
   return `${sign}${delta.toFixed(1)}s`
 }
 
-function buildCumulative(lapTimes: ReadonlyArray<number | null>): number[] {
+/**
+ * Cumulative lap time aligned to reference-valid laps only.
+ * Laps where the reference is null are skipped for every series so later deltas
+ * do not compare against a frozen baseline while challengers keep accumulating.
+ */
+function buildAlignedCumulative(
+  lapTimes: ReadonlyArray<number | null>,
+  referenceLapTimes: ReadonlyArray<number | null>,
+): number[] {
   const cumulative: number[] = []
   let running = 0
-  for (const lap of lapTimes) {
+  const length = Math.max(lapTimes.length, referenceLapTimes.length)
-    if (lap !== null) {
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+    if (referenceLapTimes[i] == null) {
+      cumulative.push(running)
+      continue
+    }
+    const lap = lapTimes[i]
+    if (lap != null) {
       running += lap
     }
     cumulative.push(running)
   }
+
   return cumulative
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +63,8 @@ function resolveReference(
 /**
  * Compute per-lap cumulative time delta for each non-reference driver.
  * Positive = behind reference; negative = ahead.
- * Null laps carry cumulative forward but emit null in deltas (skip when plotting).
+ * Deltas are only emitted where the reference lap is valid; reference-null laps
+ * gap every series. Challenger-null laps gap only that driver's line.
  */
 export function computeCumulativeDeltas(
   series: ReadonlyArray<DeltaSeries>,
@@ -56,24 +73,22 @@ export function computeCumulativeDeltas(
   const reference = resolveReference(series, referenceLabel)
   if (!reference) return []
 
-  const refCumulative = buildCumulative(reference.lapTimes)
+  const refLapTimes = reference.lapTimes
+  const refCumulative = buildAlignedCumulative(refLapTimes, refLapTimes)
 
   return series
     .filter((s) => s.label !== reference.label)
     .map((driver) => {
-      const driverCumulative = buildCumulative(driver.lapTimes)
+      const driverCumulative = buildAlignedCumulative(driver.lapTimes, refLapTimes)
       const lapCount = Math.max(driver.lapTimes.length, refCumulative.length)
       const deltas: (number | null)[] = []
 
       for (let i = 0; i < lapCount; i++) {
-        if (driver.lapTimes[i] === null) {
+        if (refLapTimes[i] == null || driver.lapTimes[i] == null) {
           deltas.push(null)
           continue
         }
-        const refValue = refCumulative[i] ?? refCumulative[refCumulative.length - 1] ?? 0
+        deltas.push(driverCumulative[i] - refCumulative[i])
-        const driverValue =
-          driverCumulative[i] ?? driverCumulative[driverCumulative.length - 1] ?? 0
-        deltas.push(driverValue - refValue)
       }
 
       return {

frontend/src/test/delta-time-graph.test.tsx

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe('computeCumulativeDeltas', () => {
     expect(result[0].deltas[2]).toBeCloseTo(2)
   })
 
-  it('emits null for missing lap times while carrying cumulative forward', () => {
+  it('emits null for challenger missing lap times while carrying cumulative forward', () => {
     const withNull: DeltaSeries = {
       label: 'NOR',
       color: '#FF8000',
@@ -60,6 +60,41 @@ describe('computeCumulativeDeltas', () => {
     expect(result[0].deltas[2]).toBeCloseTo(-92)
   })
 
+  it('gaps all drivers when the reference lap is null and resumes without that window', () => {
+    const refWithNull: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'VER',
+      color: '#3671C6',
+      lapTimes: [90, null, 92],
+    }
+    const validChallenger: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'HAM',
+      color: '#E8002D',
+      lapTimes: [89, 91, 90],
+    }
+    const result = computeCumulativeDeltas([refWithNull, validChallenger])
+    expect(result[0].deltas[0]).toBeCloseTo(-1)
+    expect(result[0].deltas[1]).toBeNull()
+    // Lap 3 excludes the reference-null window for both: (89+90) - (90+92) = -3
+    expect(result[0].deltas[2]).toBeCloseTo(-3)
+  })
+
+  it('gaps challenger laps beyond a shorter reference series', () => {
+    const shortReference: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'VER',
+      color: '#3671C6',
+      lapTimes: [90, 91],
+    }
+    const longerChallenger: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'HAM',
+      color: '#E8002D',
+      lapTimes: [89, 92, 90],
+    }
+    const result = computeCumulativeDeltas([shortReference, longerChallenger])
+    expect(result[0].deltas[0]).toBeCloseTo(-1)
+    expect(result[0].deltas[1]).toBeCloseTo(0)
+    expect(result[0].deltas[2]).toBeNull()
+  })
+
   it('returns an empty array when only one series is provided', () => {
     expect(computeCumulativeDeltas([reference])).toEqual([])
   })
@@ -97,6 +132,19 @@ describe('DeltaTimeGraph', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByTestId('delta-line-VER')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
+  it('splits polylines at reference-null laps', () => {
+    const refWithNull: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'VER',
+      color: '#3671C6',
+      lapTimes: [90, null, 92],
+    }
+    const { container } = render(
+      <DeltaTimeGraph series={[refWithNull, challenger]} />,
+    )
+    const lines = container.querySelectorAll('.delta-graph-driver-line')
+    expect(lines.length).toBeGreaterThan(1)
+  })
+
   it('shows a crosshair tooltip on hover', () => {
     vi.spyOn(SVGSVGElement.prototype, 'getBoundingClientRect').mockReturnValue({
       x: 0,
@@ -118,4 +166,31 @@ describe('DeltaTimeGraph', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText(/Lap 1/)).toBeInTheDocument()
     vi.restoreAllMocks()
   })
+
+  it('omits tooltip rows on reference-null laps', () => {
+    vi.spyOn(SVGSVGElement.prototype, 'getBoundingClientRect').mockReturnValue({
+      x: 0,
+      y: 0,
+      left: 0,
+      top: 0,
+      width: 640,
+      height: 220,
+      right: 640,
+      bottom: 220,
+      toJSON: () => ({}),
+    })
+    const refWithNull: DeltaSeries = {
+      label: 'VER',
+      color: '#3671C6',
+      lapTimes: [90, null, 92],
+    }
+    const { container } = render(
+      <DeltaTimeGraph series={[refWithNull, challenger]} />,
+    )
+    const hoverLayer = container.querySelector('.delta-graph-hover-layer')
+    fireEvent.mouseMove(hoverLayer!, { clientX: 352, clientY: 100 })
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('delta-crosshair')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('delta-tooltip')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+  })
 })

internal/api/cache.go

@@ -94,12 +94,6 @@ func cacheDBPath() string {
 	return filepath.Join(".cache", "box-box", "cache.db")
 }
 
-// DefaultCacheDBPath returns the HTTP cache database path used by the OpenF1
-// client in both TUI and web modes.
-func DefaultCacheDBPath() string {
-	return cacheDBPath()
-}
-
 // ttlForURL determines the appropriate TTL based on the URL pattern.
 // Returns 0 (CacheTTLForever) for historical data that will never change.
 func ttlForURL(url string) time.Duration {

internal/api/openf1.go

@@ -623,19 +623,6 @@ func (c *OpenF1Client) GetTeamRadio(sessionKey, driverNumber int) ([]models.Team
 // to maximise the chance of finding data quickly.
 var candidateDrivers = []int{1, 11, 44, 16, 55, 4, 14, 63, 81, 24}
 
-// TrackOutlinePrefetchResult summarizes a season track-outline cache warming
-// run. Counts are scoped to the unique non-zero circuit keys in the provided
-// meeting list.
-type TrackOutlinePrefetchResult struct {
-	Year           int
-	UniqueCircuits int
-	CachedBefore   int
-	CachedAfter    int
-	Skipped        int
-	Fetched        int
-	Failed         int
-}
-
 // PrefetchTrackOutlines fetches GPS location data for every circuit in the
 // provided meeting list and stores it in the cache so the track map tab can
 // render during live sessions when the free-tier API is locked.
@@ -645,58 +632,28 @@ type TrackOutlinePrefetchResult struct {
 // Errors per-circuit are silently ignored — this is a best-effort operation
 // and must never block or crash the main UI.
 func (c *OpenF1Client) PrefetchTrackOutlines(meetings []models.Meeting) {
-	year := time.Now().Year()
-	for _, m := range meetings {
-		if m.Year != 0 {
-			year = m.Year
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	_ = c.PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear(year, meetings)
-}
-
-// PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear fetches and caches track outlines for unique
-// circuits in the provided meeting list, storing them under the explicit season
-// year. Unlike PrefetchTrackOutlines, it returns accounting suitable for CLI
-// cache-warming workflows.
-func (c *OpenF1Client) PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear(year int, meetings []models.Meeting) TrackOutlinePrefetchResult {
 	const maxWorkers = 3
 
-	result := TrackOutlinePrefetchResult{Year: year}
+	year := time.Now().Year()
-	uniqueByCircuit := make(map[int]models.Meeting)
+
-	var unique []models.Meeting
+	// Filter to meetings that need fetching.
+	var pending []models.Meeting
 	for _, m := range meetings {
 		if m.CircuitKey == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
-		if _, exists := uniqueByCircuit[m.CircuitKey]; exists {
-			continue
-		}
-		uniqueByCircuit[m.CircuitKey] = m
-		unique = append(unique, m)
-	}
-
-	result.UniqueCircuits = len(unique)
-
-	// Filter to meetings that need fetching.
-	var pending []models.Meeting
-	for _, m := range unique {
 		if _, ok := c.cache.GetTrackOutline(m.CircuitKey, year); ok {
-			result.CachedBefore++
-			result.Skipped++
 			continue // already cached for this season
 		}
 		pending = append(pending, m)
 	}
 
 	if len(pending) == 0 {
-		result.CachedAfter = result.CachedBefore
+		return
-		return result
 	}
 
 	sem := make(chan struct{}, maxWorkers)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	var mu sync.Mutex
 
 	for _, mtg := range pending {
 		mtg := mtg // capture
@@ -705,34 +662,19 @@ func (c *OpenF1Client) PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear(year int, meetings []models.
 		go func() {
 			defer wg.Done()
 			defer func() { <-sem }()
-			ok := c.prefetchCircuit(mtg, year)
+			c.prefetchCircuit(mtg, year)
-			mu.Lock()
-			if ok {
-				result.Fetched++
-			} else {
-				result.Failed++
-			}
-			mu.Unlock()
 		}()
 	}
 
 	wg.Wait()
-
-	for _, m := range unique {
-		if _, ok := c.cache.GetTrackOutline(m.CircuitKey, year); ok {
-			result.CachedAfter++
-		}
-	}
-
-	return result
 }
 
 // prefetchCircuit fetches the track outline for a single meeting and stores it.
 // It prefers completed sessions (past date_end) so the data is full and stable.
-func (c *OpenF1Client) prefetchCircuit(mtg models.Meeting, year int) bool {
+func (c *OpenF1Client) prefetchCircuit(mtg models.Meeting, year int) {
 	sessions, err := c.GetSessionsForMeeting(int(mtg.MeetingKey))
 	if err != nil || len(sessions) == 0 {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	// Pick the best session: prefer a completed race, then any session with
@@ -754,7 +696,7 @@ func (c *OpenF1Client) prefetchCircuit(mtg models.Meeting, year int) bool {
 		}
 	}
 	if bestSession == nil {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	// Try candidate drivers in order until we find one with enough points.
@@ -764,7 +706,7 @@ func (c *OpenF1Client) prefetchCircuit(mtg models.Meeting, year int) bool {
 			continue
 		}
 		// Store under the circuit key for this year and stop.
-		return c.cache.SetTrackOutline(mtg.CircuitKey, year, locs) == nil
+		_ = c.cache.SetTrackOutline(mtg.CircuitKey, year, locs)
+		return
 	}
-	return false
 }

internal/api/track_outline_prefetch_test.go

@@ -1,109 +0,0 @@
-package api
-
-import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"net/http"
-	"net/http/httptest"
-	"strconv"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/AmanTahiliani/box-box/internal/models"
-)
-
-func newTrackOutlineTestClient(t *testing.T, srvURL string) *OpenF1Client {
-	t.Helper()
-	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
-	t.Setenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME", t.TempDir())
-
-	c := NewOpenF1Client(srvURL, 5*time.Second)
-	c.pacer = &requestPacer{}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = c.Close() })
-	return c
-}
-
-func TestPrefetchTrackOutlinesForYearSkipsCachedAndWritesLocations(t *testing.T) {
-	var sessionsByMeeting = map[string][]models.Session{
-		"202": {
-			{
-				SessionKey:  9002,
-				SessionName: "Race",
-				MeetingKey:  202,
-				CircuitKey:  2,
-				DateEnd:     "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
-			},
-		},
-	}
-	var sessionsRequested []string
-	var locationsRequested []string
-
-	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		switch r.URL.Path {
-		case "/v1/sessions":
-			meetingKey := r.URL.Query().Get("meeting_key")
-			sessionsRequested = append(sessionsRequested, meetingKey)
-			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(sessionsByMeeting[meetingKey])
-		case "/v1/location":
-			sessionKey := r.URL.Query().Get("session_key")
-			driverNumber := r.URL.Query().Get("driver_number")
-			locationsRequested = append(locationsRequested, sessionKey+"/"+driverNumber)
-			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(testLocations(9002, 1, 51))
-		default:
-			t.Fatalf("unexpected request path %s", r.URL.Path)
-		}
-	}))
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	client := newTrackOutlineTestClient(t, srv.URL)
-	if err := client.Cache().SetTrackOutline(1, 2026, testLocations(9001, 1, 51)); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("SetTrackOutline() error = %v", err)
-	}
-
-	result := client.PrefetchTrackOutlinesForYear(2026, []models.Meeting{
-		{MeetingKey: 101, Year: 2026, Circuit: models.Circuit{CircuitKey: 1}},
-		{MeetingKey: 202, Year: 2026, Circuit: models.Circuit{CircuitKey: 2}},
-		{MeetingKey: 303, Year: 2026, Circuit: models.Circuit{CircuitKey: 2}},
-	})
-
-	if result.UniqueCircuits != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("UniqueCircuits = %d, want 2", result.UniqueCircuits)
-	}
-	if result.CachedBefore != 1 || result.Skipped != 1 || result.Fetched != 1 || result.Failed != 0 || result.CachedAfter != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected result: %+v", result)
-	}
-	if got, want := len(sessionsRequested), 1; got != want {
-		t.Fatalf("sessions requested %d time(s), want %d: %v", got, want, sessionsRequested)
-	}
-	if sessionsRequested[0] != "202" {
-		t.Fatalf("requested meeting %s, want 202", sessionsRequested[0])
-	}
-	if got, want := len(locationsRequested), 1; got != want {
-		t.Fatalf("locations requested %d time(s), want %d: %v", got, want, locationsRequested)
-	}
-	if locationsRequested[0] != "9002/1" {
-		t.Fatalf("requested location %s, want 9002/1", locationsRequested[0])
-	}
-
-	locs, ok := client.Cache().GetTrackOutline(2, 2026)
-	if !ok {
-		t.Fatal("expected circuit 2 outline to be cached")
-	}
-	if len(locs) != 51 {
-		t.Fatalf("cached %d locations, want 51", len(locs))
-	}
-}
-
-func testLocations(sessionKey, driverNumber, count int) []models.Location {
-	locs := make([]models.Location, count)
-	for i := range locs {
-		locs[i] = models.Location{
-			Date:         "2026-01-01T12:00:" + strconv.Itoa(i%60) + "+00:00",
-			DriverNumber: driverNumber,
-			MeetingKey:   202,
-			SessionKey:   sessionKey,
-			X:            float64(i),
-			Y:            float64(i * 2),
-		}
-	}
-	return locs
-}