2004 Chinese Grand Prix

The 2004 Chinese Grand Prix (officially the 2004 Formula 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix ) [ 2 ] was a Formula One motor race held on 26 September 2004 at the Shanghai International Circuit . It was Race 16 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship and was the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix .

Friday drivers

The bottom 6 teams in the 2003 Constructors' Championship were entitled to run a third car in free practice on Friday. These drivers drove on Friday but did not compete in qualifying or the race.

Background

Michael Schumacher and Ferrari were already the drivers' and constructors' world champions. After the 2004 Italian Grand Prix , Schumacher unassailably led the drivers' standings with 38 points ahead of Rubens Barrichello and 65 points ahead of Jenson Button. Ferrari led the constructors' championship with 140 points, unassailable ahead of BAR and 143 points ahead of Renault.

Renault fired Jarno Trulli after the Italian Grand Prix and was replaced by Jacques Villeneuve, who returned to driving a single-seater after almost a year of inactivity. The dismissal of the Italian driver was due to disagreements with team manager Flavio Briatore , who also dominated the Italian driver's career and who the previous week had signed a contract with Toyota for 2005. [ 3 ] This was the first race back for Ralf Schumacher after injuries in the 2004 United States Grand Prix three mo...

Qualifying

Barrichello set the fastest lap and took pole position ahead of Räikkönen and Button. The Bridgestone tyres worked particularly well in this section and Sauber driver Massa managed to achieve the best starting position of his career up to that point with fourth place.

Race

After changing the engine during the night, Michael Schumacher started from the pit lane and started the race with a full tank. Barrichello maintained his lead at the start ahead of Räikkönen. Alonso took third place ahead of Massa and Button. The Briton regained position from the Sauber driver on the third lap after an intense duel. A lap later, Massa was also overtaken by Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher. Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher was struggling to get himself back together and was stuck in ...

Barrichello and Räikkönen refuelled together on lap 12. The Brazilian kept the Finn behind him. Alonso and Button stayed on the track one and two laps longer respectively and retained fourth and third place. Further back in the field Michael Schumacher spun, losing further time. The German driver was the last to refuel on the 20th lap after overtaking both Fisichella and his brother.

Race

On lap 36, Räikkönen made his third and final pit stop, anticipating it in an attempt to overtake Barrichello; However, the Finn returned to the track behind Button, in third place. One lap later, Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher came into contact while fighting for seventh place; the Briton rammed the Williams driver and both were forced into the pits, Coulthard to replace a punctured tyre and Ralf Schumacher to carry out checks. However, the German driver returned to the pits just as his team was...

Meanwhile, Barrichello pushed hard to increase his lead over Button as much as possible; when the Brazilian refuelled during the 42nd lap, the BAR driver remained behind him. In the final laps Barrichello managed his advantage over his pursuers, who approached the Ferrari driver but never seriously threatened him.

Barrichello then obtained his second consecutive victory, ahead of Button, Räikkönen, Alonso, Montoya, Sato, Fisichella and Massa; Villeneuve, returning after a year of inactivity, took only eleventh place, finishing ahead of Michael Schumacher. In the fight for second place in the Constructors' Championship, BAR gained further points over Renault, having overtaken it in the standings in the previous Grand Prix.

External links

31°20′20″N 121°13′11″E / 31.33889°N 121.21972°E / 31.33889; 121.21972

Quick Facts

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2004 Chinese Grand Prix Distance

Table 1

Constructor	No	Driver
BAR-Honda	35.0	Anthony Davidson
Sauber-Petronas	nan	-
Jaguar-Cosworth	37.0	Björn Wirdheim
Toyota	38.0	Ryan Briscoe
Jordan-Ford	39.0	Robert Doornbos
Minardi-Cosworth	40.0	Bas Leinders

Table 2

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Q1 Time	Q2 Time
1	2	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	1:33.787	1:34.012
2	6	Kimi Räikkönen	McLaren-Mercedes	1:33.499	1:34.178
3	9	Jenson Button	BAR-Honda	1:34.273	1:34.295
4	12	Felipe Massa	Sauber-Petronas	1:33.816	1:34.759
5	4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	1:33.849	1:34.891
6	8	Fernando Alonso	Renault	1:34.599	1:34.917
7	11	Giancarlo Fisichella	Sauber-Petronas	1:33.738	1:34.951
8	17	Olivier Panis	Toyota	1:34.153	1:34.975
9	10	Takuma Sato	BAR-Honda	1:34.051	1:34.993
10	5	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	1:34.355	1:35.029

Table 3

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Tyre	Laps
1	2	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	B	56
2	9	Jenson Button	BAR-Honda	M	56
3	6	Kimi Räikkönen	McLaren-Mercedes	M	56
4	8	Fernando Alonso	Renault	M	56
5	3	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	M	56
6	10	Takuma Sato	BAR-Honda	M	56
7	11	Giancarlo Fisichella	Sauber-Petronas	B	56
8	12	Felipe Massa	Sauber-Petronas	B	56
9	5	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	M	56
10	14	Mark Webber	Jaguar-Cosworth	M	55

F1ABY Commentary

Did the humid Shanghai air itself feel the weight of history today, a silent witness to a battle waged not just on asphalt, but on the very bedrock of racing’s ambition? Barrichello’s victory, a measured, almost hesitant triumph, hinted at a Ferrari still learning the nuances of this nascent circuit, a delicate dance against the rising tide of McLaren’s raw speed. Observe the subtle adjustments, the almost imperceptible shifts in tire management – a testament to a team grappling with a landscape utterly foreign to their previous conquests. The Friday drivers, relegated to the periphery, represent a curious footnote, a reminder that even in the pursuit of glory, the echoes of past struggles resonate. A remarkable display of strategic brilliance, perhaps, but also a poignant illustration of a sport perpetually redefining its own boundaries. The scent of burning rubber mingled with the distant murmur of a nation discovering its love for this brutal ballet.

The air itself tasted of ozone and ambition that day, a palpable current surging through the newly-laid asphalt of Shanghai – a scent forever linked to Barrichello’s triumph, the first Grand Prix born from the Dragon’s embrace. Witnessing the raw, untamed power of those machines, the echoes of Stewart and Moss seemed to dance within the roar, a testament to a lineage forged in speed and unrelenting spirit. This wasn't merely a race; it was the genesis of a legend.

F1ABY Trivia

The air hung thick with anticipation, a palpable hum vibrating through the Shanghai International Circuit – a first, a promise. Barrichello’s Ferrari, a symphony of 840 horsepower courtesy of the 3. 0-liter V10, sliced through the shadows, exploiting the McLaren’s tire degradation with ruthless precision. A curious detail: BAR-Honda’s Arrows, running a third chassis for Friday practice, struggled with a reported 1. 5-second deficit to the leading teams, a stark reminder of the relentless gulf separating the giants. This wasn’t merely a victory; it was the genesis of a racing legend.

The air hangs thick with the scent of damp asphalt and anticipation—a tangible thing, this first Chinese Grand Prix. A hush falls over the stands as Barrichello, a veteran sculpted by countless battles, crosses the line, securing victory from the very spot where the legend began. Observe, if you will, that of the fifteen pole positions awarded in 2004, Schumacher claimed a staggering nine, a testament to Ferrari’s dominance and a numerical echo of the years preceding. It’s a curious pattern, isn’t it – a solitary, almost defiant, bloom of scarlet amidst a season largely defined by McLaren’s blue.

F1ABY Tales

The rain, a venomous serpent, coiled around the McLaren, spitting water onto the asphalt. Räikkönen wrestled, a desperate ballet of throttle and wheel, attempting to exorcise the BAR’s persistent shadow. A brief flash of scarlet – Barrichello, a stoic sentinel, held his ground, the Ferrari’s composure a stark contrast to the tempestuous track. The scent of wet rubber and ozone hung heavy, a primal perfume of speed and risk. This was Shanghai’s baptism by storm, a brutal initiation for a race that would etch itself into the annals of a changing era. A testament to raw talent battling against the elements, and the relentless pursuit of victory.

The rain, a sullen grey smear across the Shanghai tarmac – it always seemed to find a way, didn’t it? Young Jenson Button, face tight with a concentration that bordered on desperation, adjusted his helmet, a small, almost imperceptible tremor in his hands. He’d spent the entire Friday session chasing a ghost, a fleeting glimpse of pace, a whisper of possibility. The Friday drivers, a curious procession of hopefuls, circulated quietly, their efforts largely ignored, a necessary evil in the relentless pursuit of speed. A turning point, perhaps, in the evolving narrative of this sport.