2004 Formula One World Championship

The 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 55th FIA Formula One World Championship, which was contested over eighteen races which ran from 7 March to 24 October 2004.

2004 FIA Formula One
World Championship
Drivers' Champion: Michael Schumacher
Constructors' Champion: Ferrari
Previous: 2003 Next: 2005
Support series:
Michael Schumacher won his seventh and final world championship with Ferrari (Picture taken in 2005).
Rubens Barrichello finished second for the Scuderia.
Jenson Button impressed with third place for BAR-Honda.

The championship was dominated by Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, with Schumacher winning the Drivers' Championship for the seventh time. Schumacher's teammate Rubens Barrichello finished the championship in second with Jenson Button coming in third for BAR. Ferrari won the Constructors' Championship for a record 14th time ahead of BAR and Renault.

In this championship, several records were broken. Michael Schumacher won 13 races, breaking his record of 11 race wins in one season from 2002. He also broke the record for most consecutive World Drivers' title (5) and Ferrari broke the record for most consecutive Constructors' titles (6).

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine† Tyre No Driver Rounds No Free Practice driver(s)
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Ferrari F2004 Ferrari 053 B 1 Michael Schumacher All N/A
2 Rubens Barrichello All
BMW WilliamsF1 Team Williams-BMW FW26 BMW P84 M 3 Juan Pablo Montoya All N/A
4 Ralf Schumacher 1–9, 16–18
Marc Gené 10–11
Antônio Pizzonia 12–15
West McLaren Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes MP4-19
MP4-19B		 Mercedes FO 110Q M 5 David Coulthard All N/A
6 Kimi Räikkönen All
Mild Seven Renault F1 Team Renault R24 Renault RS24 M 7 Jarno Trulli 1–15 N/A
Jacques Villeneuve 16–18
8 Fernando Alonso All
Lucky Strike BAR Honda BAR-Honda 006 Honda RA004E M 9 Jenson Button All 35 Anthony Davidson
10 Takuma Sato All
Sauber Petronas Sauber-Petronas C23 Petronas 04A B 11 Giancarlo Fisichella All N/A
12 Felipe Massa All
Jaguar Racing F1 Team Jaguar-Cosworth R5
R5B		 Cosworth CR-6 M 14 Mark Webber All 37 Björn Wirdheim
15 Christian Klien All
Panasonic Toyota Racing Toyota TF104
TF104B		 Toyota RVX-04 M 16 Cristiano da Matta 1–12 38 Ricardo Zonta
Ryan Briscoe
Ricardo Zonta 13–16
Jarno Trulli 17–18
17 Olivier Panis 1–17
Ricardo Zonta 18
Jordan Ford Jordan-Ford EJ14 Ford RS2 B 18 Nick Heidfeld All 39 Timo Glock
Robert Doornbos
19 Giorgio Pantano 1–7, 9–15
Timo Glock 8, 16–18
Minardi F1 Team Minardi-Cosworth PS04B Cosworth CR-3 L B 20 Gianmaria Bruni All 40 Bas Leinders
21 Zsolt Baumgartner All

† All engines were 3.0 litre, V10 configuration.

Four of the ten teams, Ferrari, Renault, Jaguar, and Toyota, were subsidiaries of major car companies. However, BAR was a division of British American Tobacco. Williams and McLaren, both privately-owned teams, had engine supply agreements with BMW and Mercedes-Benz respectively, and Honda produced engines for BAR.

The other three teams, Jordan, Sauber and Minardi, were also privately owned but received little substantial sponsorship and consequently tended to end up toward the back of the grid. Sauber received Ferrari engines badged under the Petronas name and received sponsorship from the Malaysian oil and gas company.

Driver changes
  • The 2004 season featured several driver line-up changes prior to the season, and more changes during the season proper. Minardi, Jordan, and Sauber started 2004 with completely new driver line-ups.
  • At BAR, following Jacques Villeneuve's departure from the team before the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, former test driver Takuma Sato was permanently given the second race seat alongside Jenson Button; after serving in a temporary capacity during 2003, Anthony Davidson became the permanent test driver replacing Takuma Sato.
  • At Minardi, Nicolas Kiesa was unable to keep his seat and was released. Jos Verstappen left Minardi as a result of sponsorship problems and an unwillingness to spend another year competing with other backmarkers in the non-competitive team. Gianmaria Bruni, who had performed a limited amount of testing in 2003, was signed to a full-time drive. Zsolt Baumgartner was confirmed as the second full-time driver after the Hungarian government provided sponsorship; Baumgartner had performed replacement duties at Jordan in 2003 after Ralph Firman suffered injuries from a crash in Hungary. Completing the all-new line-up, Bas Leinders and Tiago Monteiro were signed as test drivers for 2004. Leinders was signed from the ranks of the World Series by Nissan, while Monteiro was signed from the American Fittipaldi Champ Car team.
  • Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Sauber mutually parted ways at the end of 2003. Frentzen then moved out of F1 and joined fellow ex-F1 drivers Mika Häkkinen and Jean Alesi in the DTM. Nick Heidfeld was also released by Sauber, and appeared to have no drive for 2004. However several successful test drives at Jordan landed him a seat there. Fisichella left Jordan after 2003 having signed a drive for Sauber. This meant that Heidfeld and Fisichella effectively swapped seats. Sauber's other new driver was Felipe Massa, who left his test position at Ferrari and returned to the team where he had raced in 2002. As Sauber used Ferrari engines in 2003, Massa took considerable knowledge of Ferrari components with him.
  • Choosing not to extend Justin Wilson's contract, Jaguar signed Christian Klien to partner Mark Webber in the R5. Wilson turned down a test drive and departed Jaguar to join the Mi-Jack Conquest Racing team in Champ Car racing in America. Björn Wirdheim was signed as their Friday test driver. The other Friday test drivers are Franck Montagny, who was rewarded for a championship year in the World Series by Nissan with a permanent test drive at Renault, Ryan Briscoe, who joined Ricardo Zonta as a test driver at Toyota, and Pedro de la Rosa, who returned to F1 as a test driver for McLaren.

Mid-season changes

Team changes
  • As part of a global restructuring and cost-cutting exercise, Ford announced during the season that they would not be entering into the F1 championship in 2005 via their Jaguar team. They also announced that their Cosworth motor and engineering divisions were being sold. The Jaguar team was eventually bought by Red Bull and effectively continued to compete as Red Bull Racing in 2005.

Rule changes

From the 2004 season onward, all the teams that did not finish in the top four in the previous year's Constructors' Championship were allowed to run a third car in the Friday practice session before each Grand Prix, for testing purposes. While other teams were permitted to have test drivers, they were not allowed to compete in the Friday practice. Sauber chose not to run its third driver in these sessions because of the added expense.

Season calendar

The 2004 Formula One calendar featured two new events: the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix, held at two newly built circuits in Sakhir and Shanghai. The season featured the most races outside Europe to that point; eight Grands Prix were held in the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. The Brazilian Grand Prix moved from its traditional early season slot to become the season finale, whereas the United States Grand Prix moved from its previous date in late September to late June as a back-to-back race with the Canadian Grand Prix.

The only exit was the Austrian Grand Prix, after seven years of racing at the A1-Ring, the modified circuit old Österreichring. The grandstands and pit buildings were demolished during the year, rendering the track unusable for any motorsport category. The circuit eventually reopened in 2011 as the Red Bull Ring and was later reinstated to the F1 calendar in 2014.

Round Grand Prix Circuit Date
1 Australian Grand Prix Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne 7 March
2 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit, Sepang 21 March
3 Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain International Circuit, Manama 4 April
4 San Marino Grand Prix Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 25 April
5 Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Catalunya, Montmeló 9 May
6 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco, Monaco 23 May
7 European Grand Prix Nürburgring, Nürburg 30 May
8 Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 13 June
9 United States Grand Prix Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 20 June
10 French Grand Prix Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny Cours 4 July
11 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 11 July
12 German Grand Prix Hockenheimring, Hockenheim 25 July
13 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring, Mogyoród 15 August
14 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 29 August
15 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 12 September
16 Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai 26 September
17 Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 10 October
18 Brazilian Grand Prix Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 24 October

Season report
Ferrari won the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship for Constructors

The season started in Australia at Albert Park where Michael Schumacher led a Ferrari 1–2. He followed that up with another victory at Sepang and led another Ferrari 1–2 at Bahrain. Jenson Button scored his maiden pole in San Marino but Michael Schumacher beat him to the line. Thereafter Schumacher dominated the Spanish Grand Prix as well. In Monaco Jarno Trulli won from pole after surviving intense pressure from Jenson Button in a race that saw Michael Schumacher crash out. Schumacher won the European GP at the Nurburgring.

At the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, Timo Glock replaced Giorgio Pantano, for financial reasons. Williams and Toyota were excluded from the race due to an irregularity in the brake ducts. That meant the Jordan and McLaren teams were the main beneficiaries of the disqualifications, with Jordan's Nick Heidfeld and Glock both scoring points, Glock in his debut Formula One race. The United States Grand Prix had a high attrition rate that saw only eight cars cross the finish line in a race dominated by accidents and saw Ralf Schumacher make a massive accident. This race, won by Schumacher, also saw the Minardi team score their first points since 2002, with Zsolt Baumgartner finishing 8th.

In France, Schumacher beat Fernando Alonso with a strategic move. In Britain he overpowered polesitter, Kimi Räikkönen, to take his 10th win of the season. In Germany, he won after his main opponent, Kimi Räikkönen, suffered a rear wing failure after setting faster laps than Schumacher. Cristiano da Matta's string of disappointing results during the season led to his replacement by test driver Ricardo Zonta from the Hungarian onward although he would drive again for the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix. Schumacher led another Ferrari 1–2 in Hungary to secure Ferrari the Constructors' trophy.

The Belgian GP also included accidents and safety car periods. Kimi Räikkönen eventually won the race from a low 10th place on the grid. Michael Schumacher finished second and thus secured himself the world title. In a rain-affected Italian GP, Barrichello led a Ferrari 1–2 in front of the loyal Tifosi. Immediately before the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix, Giorgio Pantano was dropped by the Jordan team and Timo Glock replaced him for the last three races.

The Chinese GP was also won by Barrichello. Button and Räikkönen finished less than 2 seconds behind. Michael Schumacher could only make it to 12th place due to starting from the pit lane.

The Japanese GP weekend was somewhat spoiled by a typhoon that caused widespread damage to parts of Japan and which saw the postponement of qualifying to the morning of race day. Michael Schumacher took his 13th win in a race that saw the rain die down. The Brazilian GP was won by Juan Pablo Montoya on his last outing for the Williams team, scoring their last victory until the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. In the end, Schumacher was on top with 148 points followed by Barrichello with 114 points. Ferrari led the Constructors' Championship with 262 points.

Results and standings
BAR-Honda placed second in the Constructors' Championship
Renault placed third in the Constructors' Championship
Williams-BMW placed fourth in the Constructors' Championship

Grands Prix
Round Grand Prix Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning constructor Report
1 Australian Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
2 Malaysian Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Juan Pablo Montoya Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
3 Bahrain Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
4 San Marino Grand Prix Jenson Button Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
5 Spanish Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
6 Monaco Grand Prix Jarno Trulli Michael Schumacher Jarno Trulli Renault Report
7 European Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
8 Canadian Grand Prix Ralf Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
9 United States Grand Prix Rubens Barrichello Rubens Barrichello Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
10 French Grand Prix Fernando Alonso Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
11 British Grand Prix Kimi Räikkönen Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
12 German Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Kimi Räikkönen Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
13 Hungarian Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
14 Belgian Grand Prix Jarno Trulli Kimi Räikkönen Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes Report
15 Italian Grand Prix Rubens Barrichello Rubens Barrichello Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Report
16 Chinese Grand Prix Rubens Barrichello Michael Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Report
17 Japanese Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
18 Brazilian Grand Prix Rubens Barrichello Juan Pablo Montoya Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW Report

Scoring system
Further information: List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems

Points were awarded to the top eight classified finishers.[1]

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th 
Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

World Drivers' Championship standings
Pos. Driver AUS
 MAL
 BHR
 SMR
 ESP
 MON
 EUR
 CAN
 USA
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 HUN
 BEL
 ITA
 CHN
 JPN
 BRA
 Points
1 Michael Schumacher 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 12 1 7 148
2 Rubens Barrichello 2 4 2 6 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 12 2 3 1 1 Ret 3 114
3 Jenson Button 6 3 3 2 8 2 3 3 Ret 5 4 2 5 Ret 3 2 3 Ret 85
4 Fernando Alonso 3 7 6 4 4 Ret 5 Ret Ret 2 10 3 3 Ret Ret 4 5 4 59
5 Juan Pablo Montoya 5 2 13 3 Ret 4 8 DSQ DSQ 8 5 5 4 Ret 5 5 7 1 58
6 Jarno Trulli 7 5 4 5 3 1 4 Ret 4 4 Ret 11 Ret 9 10 11 12 46
7 Kimi Räikkönen Ret Ret Ret 8 11 Ret Ret 5 6 7 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret 3 6 2 45
8 Takuma Sato 9 15† 5 16† 5 Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 11 8 6 Ret 4 6 4 6 34
9 Ralf Schumacher 4 Ret 7 7 6 10† Ret DSQ Ret Ret 2 5 24
10 David Coulthard 8 6 Ret 12 10 Ret Ret 6 7 6 7 4 9 7 6 9 Ret 11 24
11 Giancarlo Fisichella 10 11 11 9 7 Ret 6 4 9† 12 6 9 8 5 8 7 8 9 22
12 Felipe Massa Ret 8 12 10 9 5 9 Ret Ret 13 9 13 Ret 4 12 8 9 8 12
13 Mark Webber Ret Ret 8 13 12 Ret 7 Ret Ret 9 8 6 10 Ret 9 10 Ret Ret 7
14 Olivier Panis 13 12 9 11 Ret 8 11 DSQ 5 15 Ret 14 11 8 Ret 14 14 6
15 Antônio Pizzonia 7 7 Ret 7 6
16 Christian Klien 11 10 14 14 Ret Ret 12 9 Ret 11 14 10 13 6 13 Ret 12 14 3
17 Cristiano da Matta 12 9 10 Ret 13 6 Ret DSQ Ret 14 13 Ret 3
18 Nick Heidfeld Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 7 10 8 Ret 16 15 Ret 12 11 14 13 13 Ret 3
19 Timo Glock 7 15 15 15 2
20 Zsolt Baumgartner Ret 16 Ret 15 Ret 9 15 10 8 Ret Ret 16 15 Ret 15 16 Ret 16 1
21 Jacques Villeneuve 11 10 10 0
22 Ricardo Zonta Ret 10† 11 Ret 13 0
23 Marc Gené 10 12 0
24 Giorgio Pantano 14 13 16 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret 17 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 0
25 Gianmaria Bruni NC 14 17 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret 18† 16 17 14 Ret Ret Ret 16 17 0
Pos. Driver AUS
 MAL
 BHR
 SMR
 ESP
 MON
 EUR
 CAN
 USA
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 HUN
 BEL
 ITA
 CHN
 JPN
 BRA
 Points
Source:[2]
Key
ColourResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
GreenOther points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
PurpleNot classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Text formatting Meaning
Bold Pole position
Italics Fastest lap


Notes:

  • – Drivers did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed more than 90% of the race distance.

World Constructors' Championship standings
Pos. Constructor No. AUS
 MAL
 BHR
 SMR
 ESP
 MON
 EUR
 CAN
 USA
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 HUN
 BEL
 ITA
 CHN
 JPN
 BRA
 Points
1 Ferrari 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 12 1 7 262
2 2 4 2 6 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 12 2 3 1 1 Ret 3
2 BAR-Honda 9 6 3 3 2 8 2 3 3 Ret 5 4 2 5 Ret 3 2 3 Ret 119
10 9 15† 5 16† 5 Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 11 8 6 Ret 4 6 4 6
3 Renault 7 7 5 4 5 3 1 4 Ret 4 4 Ret 11 Ret 9 10 11 10 10 105
8 3 7 6 4 4 Ret 5 Ret Ret 2 10 3 3 Ret Ret 4 5 4
4 Williams-BMW 3 5 2 13 3 Ret 4 8 DSQ DSQ 8 5 5 4 Ret 5 5 7 1 88
4 4 Ret 7 7 6 10† Ret DSQ Ret 10 12 7 7 Ret 7 Ret 2 5
5 McLaren-Mercedes 5 8 6 Ret 12 10 Ret Ret 6 7 6 7 4 9 7 6 9 Ret 11 69
6 Ret Ret Ret 8 11 Ret Ret 5 6 7 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret 3 6 2
6 Sauber-Petronas 11 10 11 11 9 7 Ret 6 4 9† 12 6 9 8 5 8 7 8 9 34
12 Ret 8 12 10 9 5 9 Ret Ret 13 9 13 Ret 4 12 8 9 8
7 Jaguar-Cosworth 14 Ret Ret 8 13 12 Ret 7 Ret Ret 9 8 6 10 Ret 9 10 Ret Ret 10
15 11 10 14 14 Ret Ret 12 9 Ret 11 14 10 13 6 13 Ret 12 14
8 Toyota 16 12 9 10 Ret 13 6 Ret DSQ Ret 14 13 Ret Ret 10† 11 Ret 11 12 9
17 13 12 9 11 Ret 8 11 DSQ 5 15 Ret 14 11 8 Ret 14 14 13
9 Jordan-Ford 18 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 7 10 8 Ret 16 15 Ret 12 11 14 13 13 Ret 5
19 14 13 16 Ret Ret Ret 13 7 Ret 17 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 15 15 15
10 Minardi-Cosworth 20 NC 14 17 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret 18† 16 17 14 Ret Ret Ret 16 17 1
21 Ret 16 Ret 15 Ret 9 15 10 8 Ret Ret 16 15 Ret 15 16 Ret 16
Pos. Constructor No. AUS
 MAL
 BHR
 SMR
 ESP
 MON
 EUR
 CAN
 USA
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 HUN
 BEL
 ITA
 CHN
 JPN
 BRA
 Points
Source:[2]
Key
ColourResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
GreenOther points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
PurpleNot classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Text formatting Meaning
Bold Pole position
Italics Fastest lap

Notes:

  • – Drivers did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed more than 90% of the race distance.
  • Official FIA classifications for the 2004 Constructors' Championship listed the constructors as Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, Lucky Strike BAR Honda, Mild Seven Renault F1 Team, etc.[2]

References
  1. 2004 Formula One Sporting Regulations Retrieved on 9 February 2012
  2. FIA Formula One World Championship Season Guide 2004 Retrieved on 9 February 2012
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