Background
Across the weekend of 13-15 August, the Hungaroring in Mogyoród hosted a Formula One Grand Prix for the nineteenth time in the circuit's history, with it being the nineteenth Hungarian Grand Prix as a round of the Formula One World Championship as well. It was the thirteenth round of the 2004 Formula One World Championship .
Championship standings before the race
Going into the weekend, Michael Schumacher led the Drivers' Championship with 110 points , ahead of Scuderia Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello on 74 points and BAR 's Jenson Button on 65. Ferrari were leading the Constructors' Championship with 184 points, from Renault (85 points) and BAR (76).
Driver changes
Cristiano da Matta was dropped by the Toyota team because of his poor performance relative to teammate Olivier Panis . He was replaced by the team's third driver Ricardo Zonta but would stay on to perform marketing work while Toyota test driver Ryan Briscoe assumed Zonta's former position.
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.
Qualifying
Despite lower track temperatures and a few drops of the rain, the front of the field saw little surprises. Michael Schumacher scored his seventh pole position of the season and the 62nd of his career, ahead of Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello and over half a second ahead of the BARs of Takuma Sato and Jenson Button .
Race
At the start, Michael Schumacher comfortably kept his lead, while second-starting Rubens Barrichello was under pressure from Fernando Alonso , who had jumped up from fifth position. Both BARs had a slow getaway: Takuma Sato fell down to eighth, Jenson Button to fifth behind Juan Pablo Montoya . Ricardo Zonta 's first race for Toyota got off to a rocky start: he was pushed by one of the Jordans and could not avoid hitting the back of Mark Webber 's Jaguar . Zonta spun and rejoined in last place. ... The Hungaroring 's configuration had been altered over the winter, the organisers hoping to create more overtaking opportunities, but the layout still caused the field to spread out and there were very little overtakes. On lap 14, Kimi Räikkönen retired due to mechanical problems for the eighth time this season and on lap 43, the engine on Jarno Trulli 's Renault failed. There were no other changes in the points-scoring positions for the remainder of the race. Button pressured Montoya for fourth... Schumacher scored a dominant victory over Barrichello and Alonso. The German only needed to score two more points than Barrichello to clinch a record-breaking seventh World Championship. The 1-2 finish was enough for Scuderia Ferrari to clinch their sixth consecutive Constructors' Championship.
External links
47°34′44″N 19°14′55″E / 47.57889°N 19.24861°E / 47.57889; 19.24861
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Q1 Time | Q2 Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 1:19.107 | 1:19.146 |
| 2 | 2 | Rubens Barrichello | Ferrari | 1:18.436 | 1:19.323 |
| 3 | 10 | Takuma Sato | BAR-Honda | 1:19.695 | 1:19.693 |
| 4 | 9 | Jenson Button | BAR-Honda | 1:19.878 | 1:19.700 |
| 5 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:20.135 | 1:19.996 |
| 6 | 4 | Antônio Pizzonia | Williams-BMW | 1:20.019 | 1:20.170 |
| 7 | 3 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Williams-BMW | 1:19.821 | 1:20.199 |
| 8 | 11 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Sauber-Petronas | 1:19.668 | 1:20.324 |
| 9 | 7 | Jarno Trulli | Renault | 1:19.879 | 1:20.411 |
| 10 | 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:20.066 | 1:20.570 |
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The air hangs thick with the scent of asphalt and high-octane fuel – a familiar aroma here at the Hungaroring. Schumacher's Ferrari, a 2004 F1-RB7 chassis powered by a 3. 0-liter naturally aspirated V10, clocked a lap time of 1:21. 466, a testament to its 670 horsepower. Observe the tire pressures; Michelin's soft compound, utilized predominantly by Renault, presented a significant challenge, demanding a calculated approach from Alonso. This victory extends Schumacher's record, mirroring the dominance of Ascari's era.
The rain, a persistent, sullen guest throughout the day, finally relinquished its grip just as Schumacher wrestled the Ferrari to the checkered flag. A curious sequence unfolds: the German's victory marked his twelfth triumph of the season, an achievement mirroring Alberto Ascari's own record, yet separated by a span of forty years. Consider the statistical anomaly – seven consecutive wins, a feat previously unseen, and a testament to Ferrari's dominance. Barrichello, a respectable second, demonstrated a consistent performance, a sharp contrast to McLaren's struggles this season, a divergence that mirrored their championship challenge.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
Barrichello! A desperate lunge! He's alongside, a sliver of blue against the scarlet – a maneuver echoing Fangio's daring at Monza, a reminder that the spirit of attack remains etched into this circuit's DNA. Schumacher, momentarily startled, defends with the precision of a seasoned tactician, mirroring the calculated aggression of Stewart in '65. The crowd roars, a wave of sound mirroring the historical weight of battles fought and won upon this asphalt. This one-two, securing Ferrari's sixth consecutive Constructors' Championship, elevates them alongside the legendary Ascari, a lineage of dominance. The geopolitical tensions of the time – the burgeoning war in Iraq – seem a distant echo compared to the fierce competition unfolding here, a microcosm of global power struggles played out on four wheels. This is more than just a victory; it's a statement.
The rain, a persistent, sullen grey, mirrored the mood settling over the Ferrari garage. Schumacher, a study in controlled intensity, meticulously adjusted his helmet, a subtle shift in posture betraying the immense pressure of securing his seventh consecutive victory. The air, thick with the scent of damp asphalt and high-octane fuel, held a palpable tension. This Hungaroring, notorious for its treacherous damp patches, demanded absolute precision. The championship, as always, hinged on moments like these, a brutal ballet of speed and calculated risk. A victory here would cement Ferrari's dominance, a statement that echoed through the sport's storied past.