The 2004 Formula One World Championship was the 54th season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, unfolding across 18 rounds from 7 March to 24 October. It was the height of Ferrari’s dominance, with Michael Schumacher rewriting the record books.
Season
The German legend secured his seventh and final Drivers’ Championship, clinching his fifth consecutive title, while teammate Rubens Barrichello completed a Ferrari 1–2 in the standings. Rising star Jenson Button delivered a breakout year for BAR, finishing third overall.
Ferrari’s supremacy was unmatched, capturing their 14th Constructors’ crown—and their sixth in a row, an all-time record at the time. Michael Schumacher himself took an astonishing 13 wins, surpassing his own single-season win record of 11 set in 2002.
The 2004 campaign was the defining chapter of Ferrari’s golden era, a benchmark of dominance that modern F1 statisticians still measure against today.
2004 F1 Entries Drivers and Teams
Entrants in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship.
| Constructor | Driver No. | Driver | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrari | 1 | Michael Schumacher | All |
| 2 | Rubens Barrichello | All | |
| Williams-BMW | 3 | Juan Pablo Montoya | All |
| 4 | Ralf Schumacher | 1-9, 16-18 | |
| 4 | Marc Gene | 10-11 | |
| 4 | Antonio Pizzonia | 12-15 | |
| McLaren-Mercedes | 5 | David Coulthard | All |
| 6 | Kimi Raikkonen | All | |
| Renault | 7 | Jarno Trulli | 1-15 |
| 7 | Jacques Villeneuve | 16-18 | |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | All | |
| BAR-Honda | 9 | Jenson Button | All |
| 10 | Takuma Sato | All | |
| Sauber-Petronas | 11 | Giancarlo Fisichella | All |
| 12 | Felipe Massa | All | |
| Jaguar–Cosworth | 14 | Mark Webber | All |
| 15 | Christian Klien | All | |
| Toyota Racing | 16 | Cristiano da Matta | 1-12 |
| 16 | Ricardo Zonta | 13-16 | |
| 16 | Jarno Trulli | 17-18 | |
| 17 | Olivier Panis | 1-17 | |
| 17 | Ricardo Zonta | 18 | |
| Jordan-Ford | 18 | Nick Heidfeld | All |
| 19 | Giorgio Pantano1 | 1-15 | |
| 19 | Timo Glock | 8, 16-18 | |
| Minardi-Cosworth | 20 | Gianmaria Bruni | All |
| 21 | Zsolt Baumgartner | All |
Friday Drivers
Alongside the regular race line-ups, five constructors took advantage of the rule allowing “Friday drivers” to run in free practice sessions throughout the season. These roles were crucial for development work, tyre testing, and giving young or reserve drivers valuable mileage in Formula One cars.
Drivers who appeared in official practice sessions:
- BAR–Honda – Anthony Davidson (UK, No. 35) – Took part in every round as the team’s dedicated third driver.
- Jaguar–Cosworth – Björn Wirdheim (Sweden, No. 37) – Featured at every Grand Prix weekend in the Friday role.
- Toyota – Ricardo Zonta (Brazil, No. 38) – Covered the first 12 rounds and Ryan Briscoe (Australia, No. 38) – Stepped in for the final six rounds (13–18).
- Jordan–Ford – Timo Glock (Germany, No. 39) – Drove in rounds 1–15 and Robert Doornbos (Netherlands, No. 39) – Replaced Glock for the final three rounds (16–18).
- Minardi–Cosworth – Bas Leinders (Belgium, No. 40) – Nominated as the team’s practice driver for all 18 races. Notably, Leinders was entered for Round 1 but denied a FIA Super Licence until he completed the required mileage in an F1 car. He was cleared in time to participate from Round 2 onwards.
Team Changes
Midway through 2004, Ford announced a sweeping global cost-cutting program that would see them withdraw from Formula One at the end of the season. This meant the end of their Jaguar Racing entry and the sale of their Cosworth engine division.
The Jaguar team didn’t disappear, however. It was purchased by Red Bull, who rebranded the squad as Red Bull Racing for the 2005 season—a move that quietly set the stage for one of the most successful and influential teams in modern F1 history.
Driver Changes
The 2004 Formula One season began with notable reshuffles throughout the grid. Three teams—Minardi, Jordan, and Sauber—entered the year with completely new race line-ups, while other teams also made changes to their driver rosters and test programs.
- BAR–Honda
After Jacques Villeneuve’s exit ahead of the 2003 season finale in Japan, Takuma Sato was promoted full-time to partner Jenson Button. Former interim racer Anthony Davidson moved into BAR’s permanent test driver role. - Minardi–Cosworth
The team overhauled its line-up: Nicolas Kiesa was released, and Jos Verstappen walked away due to sponsorship issues and frustration with the team’s lack of competitiveness. Gianmaria Bruni, who had tested for Minardi in 2003, earned a full-time seat. He was joined by Zsolt Baumgartner, whose drive was secured with Hungarian government backing. Baumgartner had previously stood in at Jordan after Ralph Firman’s crash in Hungary the year before. Minardi also appointed Bas Leinders (World Series by Nissan) and Tiago Monteiro (from Champ Car’s Fittipaldi team) as test drivers. - Sauber–Petronas
The Swiss outfit parted ways with Heinz-Harald Frentzen at the end of 2003. Frentzen moved to DTM, joining ex-F1 rivals Mika Hakkinen and Jean Alesi. Nick Heidfeld was also released but found a lifeline at Jordan after a series of strong test drives. Sauber signed Giancarlo Fisichella from Jordan—effectively a seat swap with Heidfeld—and brought back Felipe Massa. Massa, who had been Ferrari’s test driver in 2003, returned with added technical insight into Ferrari’s engines and systems, which Sauber also used. - Jaguar–Cosworth
The team chose not to renew Justin Wilson’s deal, instead signing Austrian rookie Christian Klien to race alongside Mark Webber in the R5. Wilson declined a Jaguar test role and left F1 to join Mi-Jack Conquest Racing in Champ Car. Björn Wirdheim was recruited as Jaguar’s Friday test driver. - Other Notable Test Driver Moves
Franck Montagny (Renault) – Rewarded for his World Series by Nissan title with a Friday role.
Ryan Briscoe (Toyota) – Joined Ricardo Zonta as part of Toyota’s expanded testing program.
Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren) – Returned to F1 in a development role.
Mid-Season Changes
The 2004 season saw a flurry of driver swaps as teams responded to injuries, underperformance, and internal tensions:
- Jordan–Ford
Giorgio Pantano was replaced by test driver Timo Glock at the Canadian Grand Prix. Pantano returned to the seat but left the team after the Italian Grand Prix, with Glock stepping in again to complete the season. - Williams–BMW
Ralf Schumacher was sidelined after a heavy crash at the United States Grand Prix. Marc Gene filled in for the French and British Grands Prix before Antônio Pizzonia took over from Germany through Italy. Schumacher made his comeback at the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix. - Toyota
Cristiano da Matta was dropped after the German round, with test driver Ricardo Zonta taking his place from Hungary onwards. However, Zonta himself was replaced at the Japanese Grand Prix when Olivier Panis stepped aside from full-time racing ahead of retirement. Zonta then reappeared in Panis’ place for the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. - Renault / Toyota
After a breakthrough win at Monaco, Jarno Trulli’s relationship with Renault collapsed over the summer. He left the team after Monza, opening the door for 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve to drive in the final three races for Renault. Trulli missed the Chinese Grand Prix but resurfaced at Toyota in Japan, making Suzuka his debut with the team. He stayed on for the season finale in Brazil.
Regulation Changes
The 2004 season introduced a series of notable regulation tweaks that reshaped both competition and strategy:
- Friday Practice Rules
From 2004 onwards, any team that had not finished in the top four of the previous Constructors’ Championship could run a third car in Friday practice for testing and development. While all teams could employ test drivers, only these lower-ranked teams could field them on track during official practice. Sauber opted out of this system, citing cost concerns. - Qualifying Format
Saturday qualifying consisted of two single-lap sessions. Session 1: Drivers ran in the order they finished the previous race (for Round 1, the 2003 championship order). Session 2: Held immediately after, with drivers running in reverse order of Session 1. This determined the official grid.
With this change, the traditional Sunday morning warm-up was scrapped. - Technical Changes
Launch control and fully-automatic gearboxes were banned, marking the first races without them since early 2001. Traction control remained legal and would stay in use until it was outlawed in 2008. - Engine Rules
To curb costs, each engine had to last the full race weekend. Any unscheduled change resulted in a 10-place grid penalty. - Pit Lane Speed
The speed limit was raised from 80 km/h to 100 km/h, though this was occasionally reduced at circuits where safety demanded it.
2004 Formula 1 Race Calendar
The 2004 Formula One season featured 18 Grands Prix, with two major new additions:
- The inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix at the brand-new Sakhir circuit.
- The inaugural Chinese Grand Prix at the state-of-the-art Shanghai International Circuit.
Together, they expanded the championship’s international footprint to its most extensive yet, with eight races held outside Europe across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.
There were also notable shifts in the schedule:
- The Brazilian Grand Prix, which typically took place in its usual early-season slot, moved to host the season finale in October.
- The United States Grand Prix shifted forward to June, forming a back-to-back doubleheader with Canada.
One race dropped off the calendar: the Austrian Grand Prix, ending its seven-year run at the A1-Ring (formerly the Österreichring). The venue was dismantled mid-season, its pit and grandstand facilities demolished. It remained inactive until 2011, when Red Bull rebuilt and reopened it as the Red Bull Ring—a circuit that rejoined the F1 calendar in 2014.
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 Australian Grand Prix | Albert Park Circuit , Melbourne | 7 March |
| 2 | 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix | Sepang International Circuit , Kuala Lumpur | 21 March |
| 3 | 2004 Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir | 4 April |
| 4 | 2004 San Marino Grand Prix | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari , Imola | 25 April |
| 5 | 2004 Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Catalunya , Montmeló | 9 May |
| 6 | 2004 Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco , Monte Carlo | 23 May |
| 7 | 2004 European Grand Prix | Nürburgring , Nürburg | 30 May |
| 8 | 2004 Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve , Montreal | 13 June |
| 9 | 2004 United States Grand Prix | Indianapolis Motor Speedway , Speedway | 20 June |
| 10 | 2004 French Grand Prix | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours , Magny-Cours | 4 July |
| 11 | 2004 British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone | 11 July |
| 12 | 2004 German Grand Prix | Hockenheimring , Hockenheim | 25 July |
| 13 | 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring , Mogyoród | 15 August |
| 14 | 2004 Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot | 29 August |
| 15 | 2004 Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza , Monza | 12 September |
| 16 | 2004 Chinese Grand Prix | Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai | 26 September |
| 17 | 2004 Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka | 10 October |
| 18 | 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix | Autódromo José Carlos Pace , São Paulo | 24 October |
2004 Formula 1 Race Reports
Round 1: Australian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 7 March 2004
Circuit: Albert Park Circuit
Laps: 58 laps, 307.574 km
Circuit Length: 5.303 km
Michael Schumacher began the 2004 Formula 1 season with a decisive victory in Melbourne for the 2004 Australian Grand Prix, signalling the start of another dominant year for Schumacher and Ferrari.
Despite hopes from other teams during pre-season testing, Schumacher’s significant lead in the race set the tone for his season, where he clinched his seventh championship after dominating most of the races. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished in second place over 13 seconds down the road, while future double-world champion Fernando Alonso finished third for Renault, a staggering 34 seconds behind Schumacher.
Outside the podium places, Ralf Schumacher, in fourth, finished over a minute behind his older brother.
Round 2: Malaysian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 21 March 2004
Circuit: Sepang International Circuit
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.543 km (3.444 miles)
At the Sepang circuit, the 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix was dominated by the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher, who started from pole and took the win.
Britain’s Jenson Button the future 2009 World Champion, also achieved his first F1 podium finish by securing third place with BAR. Juan Pablo Montoya took second for Williams, 5 seconds behind Schumacher.
Round 3: Bahrain Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 4 April 2004
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.417 km (3.366 miles)
The 2004 Bahrain Grand Prix, the first F1 race to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East, turned out to be a relatively dull affair, with Michael Schumacher dominating again for Ferrari leading from start to finish, securing his third victory of the season in as many races. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second, ensuring a Ferrari one-two, well ahead of Jenson Button in the BAR 006.
The Times reported, “{Schumacher] was buffeted by a fierce wind that cut across the desert around the circuit in Sakhir and whipped up blinding clouds of dust. The sand was blown with such intensity that it stripped paint from the noses of the cars as they sped around.”
Round 4: San Marino Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 25 April 2004
Circuit: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Laps: 62
Circuit length: 4.933 km (3.065 miles)
Jenson Button disrupted Ferrari’s dominance by securing pole position for the 2004 San Marino Grand Prix, marking a breakthrough moment for BAR. Up until that point, Michael Schumacher had been unstoppable, winning the first three rounds of the season from pole. However, at Imola, Button edged out Schumacher by 0.258 seconds in qualifying, proving Ferrari wasn’t invincible.
Despite his impressive one-lap pace, Button was unable to convert pole into victory. Schumacher overtook him during the first round of pit stops and went on to claim his fourth consecutive win of the season, finishing nine seconds ahead of Button. Juan Pablo Montoya completed the podium in third for Williams.
Round 5: Spanish Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 9 May 2004
Circuit: Circuit de Catalunya
Laps: 66
Circuit length: 4.627 km
On May 9, in his 200th Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher clinched victory at the 2004 Spanish Grand Prix, matching Nigel Mansell‘s record from 1992 of winning the season’s first five races. The confidence in Schumacher’s success was so high that some bookmakers began paying out bets for his anticipated fifth consecutive championship title, which he eventually secured. Remarkably, Schumacher achieved this win while racing with a cracked exhaust on his Ferrari. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second with Jarno Trulli third in a Renault car. Meanwhile, Jenson Button managed an eighth-place finish despite eye issues caused by a small carbon fragment lodged in his eye.
Round 6: Monaco Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 23 May 2004
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 77
Circuit length: 3.34 km
Jarno Trulli ended Michael Schumacher’s dominant season start by winning the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix with Renault. Trulli excelled all weekend, securing pole position and leading the race from start to finish. His teammate Fernando Alonso was his closest rival early on but crashed while attempting to lap Ralf Schumacher in the tunnel. During the subsequent safety car period, Michael Schumacher collided with the barriers at the same spot, later accusing Juan Pablo Montoya of brake testing him. The race concluded with Jenson Button in the BAR closing in on Trulli but being unable to overtake and settle for P2. Rubens Barrichello finished third for Ferrari. This victory was Trulli’s only F1 win.
Round 7: European Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 30 May 2004
Circuit: Nürburgring
Laps: 60
Circuit length: 5.148 km
The 2004 European Grand Prix took place on 30 May at the Nürburgring and was the seventh round of the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. Michael Schumacher secured pole the previous day and went on to set the fastest lap, led the race from start to finish, claiming victory for Ferrari. His Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second, for a Ferrari 1-2 finish, while Jenson Button, driving for BAR-Honda, took third.
Round 8: Canadian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 13 June 2004
Circuit: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.361 km
Williams and Toyota were disqualified from the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix in post-race inspections for using illegal brake ducts. William-BMW technical director Sam Michael noted that the modification was unintentional and did not provide a performance advantage but accepted the FIA’s decision.
Michael Schumacher won the race for Ferrari, with his teammate Rubens Barrichello finishing second. Ralf Schumacher was originally third but was replaced on the podium by BAR driver Jenson Button due to the disqualification. A disheartened Ralf commented on the harsh reality of the regulations, “I’m now thinking ‘what have I done to deserve this. Breaking a rule is breaking a rule and somebody must be punished for that. I have to accept it, even if it really hurts.”
Round 9: United States Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 20 June 2004
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 73
Circuit length: 4.195km (2.606 miles)
During the 2004 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, Michael Schumacher clinched the win, a triumph shadowed by his near withdrawal from the race. This hesitation followed his brother Ralf Schumacher‘s severe accident caused by a tyre failure that hurled his car into the wall at high speed. The impact left Schumacher with spinal fractures and concussion, which prevented him from racing until the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix, three months and six races later. This victory marked Ferrari’s 175th win in Formula 1 history.
Michael’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello, started from pole in his Ferrari. However, following a start-line incident between five cars, four of whom retired as a result, Schumacher overtook Barrichello on the safety car restart on lap six, and despite a threat from Barrichello after the final pit stops, Schumacher held on to take his eighth win of the season. BAR driver Takuma Sato became the second Japanese driver to achieve a podium finish coming home in third.
Ralf’s serious accident was caused by Michelin tyre failures in what would be a precedent for the 2005 United States Grand Prix, at which all Michelin-shod cars withdrew over safety concerns.
Round 10: French Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 4 July 2004
Circuit: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.411 km
Michael Schumacher clinched his ninth victory in ten races during a dominant season by winning the 2004 French Grand Prix. Renault had shown exceptional speed in qualifying, prompting Ferrari to adopt an unconventional four-stop strategy. This tactic surprised Renault and Fernando Alonso, allowing Schumacher to capitalise on lighter fuel loads and set blisteringly quick laps. He ultimately finished over eight seconds ahead of his Spanish rival.
Rubens Barrichello finished third in his Ferrari, having overtaken Jarno Trulli in the last corners of the last lap.
Round 11: British Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 11 July 2004
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 60
Circuit length: 5.141 km (3.194 miles)
Michael Schumacher’s tenth win in 11 races at the 2004 British Grand Prix was a display of sporting excellence but left fans bored, as critics described it as little more than a procession. Schumacher’s narrow two-second victory over Kimi Raikkonen was more a result of the safety car intervention than a thrilling race. Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher’s Ferrari teammate, came home in third.
The race was often remembered more for other events around the weekend. Prior to the race, a special demonstration of contemporary Formula One cars took place on London’s Regent Street, featuring appearances by several teams and drivers—including former British World Champion Nigel Mansell, who drove the Jordan EJ14. The event drew an estimated crowd of 500,000 spectators.
Tragically, the occasion was tainted by the sudden passing of Minardi Sporting Director John Walton, who suffered a fatal heart attack following the demonstration. As a mark of respect, the Minardi team withdrew from Saturday’s early practice session.
Round 12: German Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 25 July 2004
Circuit: Hockenheimring
Laps: 66 / 67 Scheduled
Circuit length: 4.574 km (2.842 miles)
Michael Schumacher claimed victory with Ferrari at the 2004 German Grand Prix, securing his 11th win in 12 races during a dominant season. Jenson Button finished just eight seconds behind Schumacher in the BAR-Honda, despite being hindered by an engine failure during practice that pushed him from his qualifying third position to 13th on the grid. Fernando Alonso took third place in his Renault.
Kimi Räikkönen, driving for McLaren, recorded the fastest lap of the race but was forced to retire on lap 14 after a dramatic failure of his rear wing at Turn 1, which launched his car into the barriers at high speed. The race began with an aborted start due to Olivier Panis signalling an issue with his Toyota, prompting a second formation lap and shortening the race by one lap as a result.
This Grand Prix was the final F1 appearance for Brazilian driver Cristiano da Matta and the last outing for Williams‘ distinctive “Walrus” front wing design. Marc Gene was replaced at Williams by Antonio Pizzonia, making his return to F1 after being dropped by Jaguar following the 2003 British Grand Prix. Pizzonia impressed by scoring his first career points with a seventh-place finish.
Round 13: Hungarian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 15 August 2004
Circuit: Hungaroring
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.381 km (2.722 miles)
Michael Schumacher won the 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix comfortably, finishing ahead of Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello to take his 82nd career victory. In doing so, Schumacher broke his own record for wins in a season with 12. The win was also his seventh in succession, equalling Alberto Ascari‘s record. Fernando Alonso finished third for Renault.
This victory also secured Ferrari its sixth consecutive Constructors’ title.
Round 14: Belgian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 29 August 2004
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Circuit length: 6.976 km (4.335 miles)
Kimi Raikkonen won the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix, securing his and McLaren’s only win of the 2004 season after starting from tenth on the grid. Michael Schumacher finished in second place for Ferrari, enough to secure his seventh and final World Championship, with teammate Rubens Barrichello taking third.
Jarno Trulli started from pole position for Renualt alongside Schumacher, and the race featured numerous lead changes. However, after several well-timed safety car periods, Raikkonen emerged in the lead for the final laps. At the start, Mark Webber in a Jaguar triggered a pile-up that eliminated four cars and damaged several others, for which he later admitted fault. Webber’s teammate, Christian Klien, also secured his first championship points by finishing sixth, but they would be the last points the Jaguar team secured in F1. It was also the last point scored for Olivier Panis.
Full Race Report
Round 15: Italian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 12 September 2004
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.793 km (3.600 miles)
Rubens Barrichello led home Michael Schumacher for a Ferrari 1-2 at Monza for the 2004 Italian Grand Prix, to the delight of a delirious Tifosi. On a circuit that was still wet but drying quickly, some teams opted for slicks and others for wets. Barrichello carved out an early advantage on the latter before his tyres began to grain badly, causing the Brazilian to drop back before changing to slicks. However, the gap he had built was enough, with the Ferraris finishing ahead of the BAR duo of Jenson Button and Takuma Sato.
Elsewhere during the race, Gianmaria Bruni‘s car caught fire during a routine pit stop in the Minardi pit garage when fuel spilled from the hose onto the hot bodywork. The fire was quickly extinguished without any serious injuries. However, Bruni inhaled some of the extinguishing agent and experienced breathing difficulties, leading the team to retire the car.
Round 16: Chinese Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 26 September 2004
Circuit: Shanghai International Circuit
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.451 km (3.387 miles)
With Michael Schumacher’s fifth consecutive title for Ferrari wrapped up before the end of August, it was team-mate Rubens Barrichello‘s chance to take his rewards for his yeoman-like support, and he followed victory a fortnight earlier at Monza with another win at the debut 2004 Chinese Grand Prix. The race as a spectacle was helped by Schumacher being forced to start from the back of the grid after a spin during qualifying, and without him dominating there was a real battle, less than a second and a half covering Barrichello, the BAR of Jenson Button, and the McLaren of Kimi Raikkonen at the finish. Richard Williams in the Guardian said of the new venue that it was an “outstanding new track, which combines a rich architectural spectacle with a layout that encourages the drivers to attempt the overtaking manoeuvres that used to be the point of motor racing. The result is remarkable enough to make it seem a shame that it took the course designer, Hermann Tilke, three goes to get it right. But where the German architect’s previous efforts in Malaysia and Bahrain produced circuits manifestly unconducive to proper racing.”
Round 17: Japanese Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 10 October 2004
Circuit: Suzuka International Racing Course
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.807 km (3.608 miles)
Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher broke another small piece of Formula One history at Suzuka by qualifying on pole and winning a Grand Prix on the same day. Typhoon Ma-on had hit the circuit on Saturday, meaning qualifying was postponed until the morning of race day. The 2004 Japanese Grand Prix itself was relatively dull, with Schumacher leading his brother Ralf Schumacher throughout, who was driving for Williams at the time but never coming under threat in dry conditions. Further down the field, Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard made contact and both retired to the pits. But with the title sewn up by Schumacher three races earlier, neither appeared particularly fussed and put the collision down to a racing incident. BAR driver Jenson Button came home in third.
The most bizarre retirement was Mark Webber‘s, who returned to the pits with burnt buttocks after his Jaguar overheated. It was unfortunate as the wet weather had allowed him to qualify third for the race and fight for points. He later explained his decision to stop: “We could not find the cause for the heat and so I carried on in the hope that it would cool down or at least remain static. It didn’t and the heat soon became excruciatingly hot and I had no option but to retire. You need to be completely focused on the race and when the temperature is so high that you are being physically affected and thus distracted then you need to take the decision to stop. I am of course disappointed that I could not have continued with the race and finished in the points.”
Round 18: Brazilian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 24 October 2004
Circuit: Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.309 km (2.677 miles)
Juan Pablo Montoya ended his time at Williams on a high by winning the season-ending 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, beating his future McLaren teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who finished in second. Meanwhile, Jaguar, up for sale and heading toward the history books, saw its final race in Formula 1 end in disaster as its two cars collided, marking an ignominious conclusion to their five-year stint in the sport. Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari rounded out the podium in third.
2004 Formula 1 Race Results
Grands Prix
2004 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Schumacher | GER | Ferrari | 148 |
| 2 | Rubens Barrichello | BRA | Ferrari | 114 |
| 3 | Jenson Button | GBR | BAR Honda | 85 |
| 4 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Renault | 59 |
| 5 | Juan Pablo Montoya | COL | Williams BMW | 58 |
| 6 | Jarno Trulli | ITA | Toyota | 46 |
| 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | FIN | McLaren Mercedes | 45 |
| 8 | Takuma Sato | JPN | BAR Honda | 34 |
| 9 | Ralf Schumacher | GER | Williams BMW | 24 |
| 10 | David Coulthard | GBR | McLaren Mercedes | 24 |
| 11 | Giancarlo Fisichella | ITA | Sauber Petronas | 22 |
| 12 | Felipe Massa | BRA | Sauber Petronas | 12 |
| 13 | Mark Webber | AUS | Jaguar Cosworth | 7 |
| 14 | Olivier Panis | FRA | Toyota | 6 |
| 15 | Antonio Pizzonia | BRA | Williams BMW | 6 |
| 16 | Christian Klien | AUT | Jaguar Cosworth | 3 |
| 17 | Cristiano da Matta | BRA | Toyota | 3 |
| 18 | Nick Heidfeld | GER | Jordan Ford | 3 |
| 19 | Timo Glock | GER | Jordan Ford | 2 |
| 20 | Zsolt Baumgartner | HUN | Minardi Cosworth | 1 |
| 21 | Jacques Villeneuve | CAN | Renault | 0 |
| 22 | Ricardo Zonta | BRA | Toyota | 0 |
| 23 | Marc Gene | ESP | Williams BMW | 0 |
| 24 | Giorgio Pantano | ITA | Jordan Ford | 0 |
| 25 | Gianmaria Bruni | ITA | Minardi Cosworth | 0 |
Team standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari | 262 |
| 2 | BAR Honda | 119 |
| 3 | Renault | 105 |
| 4 | Williams BMW | 88 |
| 5 | McLaren Mercedes | 69 |
| 6 | Sauber Petronas | 34 |
| 7 | Jaguar Cosworth | 10 |
| 8 | Toyota | 9 |
| 9 | Jordan Ford | 5 |
| 10 | Minardi Cosworth | 1 |
