2004 Chinese Grand Prix

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2004 Chinese Grand Prix
Race 16 of 18 in the 2004 Formula One World Championship
Shanghai International Racing Circuit track map.svg
Race details
Date26 September 2004
Official name 2004 Formula 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix
Location Shanghai International Circuit
Shanghai, China
Course Permanent Racing Facility
Course length 5.451 km (3.387 miles)
Distance 56 laps, 305.066 km (189.559 miles)
Weather Sunny with temperatures reaching up to 27 °C (81 °F) [1]
Pole position
Driver
 Ferrari
Time 1:34.012
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of Germany.svg Michael Schumacher Ferrari
Time 1:32.238 on lap 55 (lap record)
Podium
First
 Ferrari
Second
 BAR-Honda
Third
 McLaren-Mercedes
Lap leaders
  • 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.

Contents

The 56-lap race was won by Rubens Barrichello for the Ferrari team, from a pole position start. Jenson Button finished second for the BAR team, with Kimi Räikkönen third in a McLaren.

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.

ConstructorNoDriver
BAR-Honda 35 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Anthony Davidson
Sauber-Petronas -
Jaguar-Cosworth 37 Flag of Sweden.svg Björn Wirdheim
Toyota 38 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ryan Briscoe
Jordan-Ford 39 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Robert Doornbos
Minardi-Cosworth 40 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Bas Leinders

Report

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 months prior. At Jordan, Timo Glock replaced Giorgio Pantano, who will give up participation in the last three Grand Prix races of the season without paying the last installment according to the contract. [4]

The race was the first where radio conversations between teams and drivers were broadcast to television viewers. [5]

Practice

The BAR of test driver Anthony Davidson takes to the track in friday free practice with a special yellow-blue livery, inspired by that of the Subaru Impreza 555 and which replaces the main seasonal sponsor Lucky Strike with State Express 555. The intention was to use it throughout the weekend. However, this was suspended by the federation so that for qualifying and the race, while retaining the temporary 555 sponsorship, the season's canonical white livery was more or less restored. [6]

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 seventeenth behind the Toyota of Panis, which got off to a terrible start due to a launch control problem. On lap six, Button also overtook Alonso and moved up to third place, the BAR driver immediately setting the fastest lap of the race. After ten laps of the race, Massa opened the first series of pit stops. Shortly afterwards, Michael Schumacher touched Klien while trying to overtake the Austrian. While Michael Schumacher was able to continue driving, Klien's race was over due to damaged suspension.

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, Michael Schumacher skidded and lost a lot of time. The German driver was the last to refuel on the 20th lap after overtaking both Fisichella and his brother.

At the head of the race, Barrichello struggled to contain Räikkönen; the Ferrari driver's margin over the Finn remained firmly under one second. In third position followed, a little further behind, Button; However, the British driver started with a two-stop strategy, compared to his rivals' three. Alonso retained his fourth place, ahead of Ralf Schumacher, Fisichella and Coulthard. Räikkönen refuelled for the second time on lap 27; when Barrichello also made his second pit stop, two laps later, his advantage over the Finn increased. Button then took the lead, refuelling on lap 35. At the same moment, Michael Schumacher punctured a tyre, losing even more ground to the lead. Toyota driver Zonta retired with gearbox damage.

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 waiting for Montoya; Schumacher therefore lost two laps and, after carrying out a test lap, returned to the pits definitively. A little later, Minardi driver Bruni, who had lost a wheel, also retired.

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.

Classification

Qualifying

PosNoDriverConstructorQ1 TimeQ2 TimeGapGrid
12 Flag of Brazil.svg Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:33.7871:34.012—1
26 Flag of Finland.svg Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.4991:34.178+0.1662
39 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:34.2731:34.295+0.2833
412 Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:33.8161:34.759+0.7474
54 Flag of Germany.svg Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:33.8491:34.891+0.8795
68 Flag of Spain.svg Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.5991:34.917+0.9056
711 Flag of Italy.svg Giancarlo Fisichella Sauber-Petronas 1:33.7381:34.951+0.9397
817 Flag of France.svg Olivier Panis Toyota 1:34.1531:34.975+0.9628
910 Flag of Japan.svg Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:34.0511:34.993+0.98118 1
105 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.3551:35.029+1.0179
113 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:34.0161:35.245+1.23310
1214 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth 1:34.3341:35.286+1.27411
137 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jacques Villeneuve Renault 1:34.4251:35.384+1.37212
1416 Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Zonta Toyota 1:34.9581:35.410+1.39813
1518 Flag of Germany.svg Nick Heidfeld Jordan-Ford 1:34.8081:36.507+2.49514
1615 Flag of Austria.svg Christian Klien Jaguar-Cosworth 1:35.4471:36.535+2.52315
1719 Flag of Germany.svg Timo Glock Jordan-Ford 1:37.1431:37.410+3.39816
1821 Flag of Hungary.svg Zsolt Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth 1:37.5101:40.240+6.22819 1
191 Flag of Germany.svg Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:33.185No time20 1
2020 Flag of Italy.svg Gianmaria Bruni Minardi-Cosworth 1:36.623No time17
Source: [7]
Notes

Race

PosNoDriverConstructorTyreLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
12 Flag of Brazil.svg Rubens Barrichello Ferrari B 561:29:12.420110
29 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jenson Button BAR-Honda M 56+ 1.03538
36 Flag of Finland.svg Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes M 56+ 1.46926
48 Flag of Spain.svg Fernando Alonso Renault M 56+ 32.51065
53 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW M 56+ 45.193104
610 Flag of Japan.svg Takuma Sato BAR-Honda M 56+ 54.791183
711 Flag of Italy.svg Giancarlo Fisichella Sauber-Petronas B 56+ 1:05.45472
812 Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas B 56+ 1:20.08041
95 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes M 56+ 1:20.6199 
1014 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth M 55+ 1 Lap11 
117 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jacques Villeneuve Renault M 55+ 1 Lap12 
121 Flag of Germany.svg Michael Schumacher Ferrari B 55+ 1 LapPL 1  
1318 Flag of Germany.svg Nick Heidfeld Jordan-Ford B 55+ 1 Lap14 
1417 Flag of France.svg Olivier Panis Toyota M 55+1 Lap8 
1519 Flag of Germany.svg Timo Glock Jordan-Ford B 55+1 Lap16 
1621 Flag of Hungary.svg Zsolt Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth B 53+3 Laps19 
Ret20 Flag of Italy.svg Gianmaria Bruni Minardi-Cosworth B 38Mechanical17 
Ret4 Flag of Germany.svg Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW M 37Collision damage5 
Ret16 Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Zonta Toyota M 35Transmission13 
Ret15 Flag of Austria.svg Christian Klien Jaguar-Cosworth M 11Suspension15 
Source: [8] [9]
Notes

Championship standings after the race

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References

  1. ↑ Weather info for the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix at Weather Underground
  2. ↑ "2004 FORMULA 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix - Race" . Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Trulli Confirmed at Toyota". Autosport.com. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Glock to Replace Pantano in China". Autosport.com. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "Radio opened up to fans". Autosport.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "One off: la BAR 'blu Subaru' del '99". Formulapassion.it. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "2004 Chinese Grand Prix – Saturday Qualifying Results". Formula1.com. Formula1.com Limited.
  8. ↑ "2004 Chinese Grand Prix - Race Results". Formula1.com. Formula1.com Limited. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "2004 Chinese Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive". GPArchive.com. 26 September 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  10. 1 2 "China 2004 - Championship". statsf1.com. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
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