Background
After the European Grand Prix , Fernando Alonso led the drivers' championship with 32 points ahead of Kimi Räikkönen and Jarno Trulli. In the constructors' championship, Renault led McLaren-Mercedes by 23 points and Toyota by 32 points. Christian Klien returned to the Red Bull cockpit after being replaced by Vitantonio Liuzzi in the previous four races.
Friday drivers
The bottom 6 teams in the 2004 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
After retiring on the last lap of the European Grand Prix , Kimi Räikkönen was the 11th driver on the track in qualifying, and he managed to line up 7th on the grid. Ferrari 's Rubens Barrichello suffered a gearbox failure before the start of his qualifying lap, and was forced to abort his run. Jenson Button managed to take pole position , with Michael Schumacher second, and both Renault drivers on the second row.
Race
Michael Schumacher became the first driver to take his scheduled pitstop, refuelling on lap 12 to drop from 6th to 12th position. Three laps later, Button and Ralf Schumacher showed their hands, also entering the pits for more fuel. Button dropped from 3rd to 7th, leaving the two Renaults to lead from the two McLarens. On lap 21, the first of the two-stoppers pitted, with Felipe Massa , Nick Heidfeld and Klien all entering pitlane. The following lap, Sato entered his garage, apparently retiring ... After following close behind for several laps, and appearing to be quicker, Alonso passed teammate Fisichella for the lead on lap 33, but Fisichella obviously had a technical problem, as Montoya easily passed him on the same lap. Fisichella entered the pits to retire at the end of the lap, with hydraulic system problems. On lap 34, both Button and Michael Schumacher took their second stops, retaining 4th and 5th positions. On lap 35, Alonso led from Montoya, Räikkönen, Button, Schumacher and Jar... On lap 49, the gap from Montoya to Räikkönen was reduced to around 3 seconds. Button, under pressure from Michael Schumacher, made a mistake at the final chicane, hitting the inside kerb heavily, which forced him into the "wall of champions" on the outside. Button was forced to retire from the race, handing 3rd position to Schumacher, and causing the deployment of the safety car as Button's car was in a dangerous position. Every car took the opportunity to pit besides Montoya, who was forced to ...
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45°30′04″N 73°31′23″W / 45.50111°N 73.52306°W / 45.50111; -73.52306
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Lap | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Jenson Button | BAR-Honda | 1:15.217 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 1:15.475 | +0.258 |
| 3 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:15.561 | +0.344 |
| 4 | 6 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Renault | 1:15.577 | +0.360 |
| 5 | 10 | Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:15.669 | +0.452 |
| 6 | 4 | Takuma Sato | BAR-Honda | 1:15.729 | +0.512 |
| 7 | 9 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:15.923 | +0.706 |
| 8 | 11 | Jacques Villeneuve | Sauber-Petronas | 1:16.116 | +0.899 |
| 9 | 16 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:16.201 | +0.984 |
| 10 | 17 | Ralf Schumacher | Toyota | 1:16.362 | +1.145 |
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The air hangs thick with the scent of pine and burning rubber – a Montreal summer distilled into the roar of eleven McLaren MP4-20s. Schumacher's Ferrari, a 3. 0-liter V10 breathing 840 horsepower, wrestled with Räikkönen's machine, a testament to McLaren's superior aerodynamic development that season. Observe, the tire degradation was savage; Barrichello's Bridgestone set a blistering 1:22. 379, yet succumbed to a shredded rear, a stark illustration of the compound's fragility under Montreal's relentless sun. A symphony of engineering, tragically truncated by a mechanical failure for the Renault team.
The air hung thick with the scent of pine and damp asphalt – a Montreal summer, a deceptive stillness before the storm. A collective gasp rippled through the stands as Räikkönen, a youthful blur of scarlet, surged ahead, claiming his victory with a boldness that felt almost… reckless. Consider this: McLaren secured their third win of the season, yet the statistical anomaly was stark – only *one* of the three podium finishers had achieved a win prior to this race. The sheer dominance of Ferrari, poised to swallow the championship, was momentarily fractured by this audacious, almost improbable, triumph.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The rain, a venomous grey, clawed at the asphalt, mirroring the desperation in Räikkönen's eyes. A fraction of a second. That's all it took. Schumacher, a steel behemoth, relentlessly closing the gap through Turn 10, the spray a blinding curtain. The roar of the engines, a primal scream against the downpour, threatened to drown out the frantic rhythm of the McLaren's gearbox. A scent of wet rubber and ozone hung heavy in the air, a distinctly Montreal aroma – a testament to battles fought and won on this unforgiving circuit. Barrichello, a steadfast guardian, clung to third, a flickering flame in the tempest.
The rain…it always held a particular sorrow for Villeneuve. A ghost of a legend, wasn't it? Watching Räikkönen navigate the slick asphalt, a primal surge of aggression etched across his young face – a stark contrast to the quiet dignity of Michael Schumacher. The German, a titan sculpted from years of relentless pursuit, seemed almost… weary. A subtle shift in his helmet, a barely perceptible tightening of his jaw. Even the pit wall, a hive of frantic calculation, held a hushed reverence. The scent of wet concrete and high-octane fuel, mingled with the distant murmur of the crowd – a poignant symphony of speed and memory. A victory snatched from the jaws of chaos, undeniably, a moment destined to resonate within the annals of motorsport.