2004 Australian Grand Prix
The 2004 Australian Grand Prix (officially the 2004 Foster's Australian Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 7 March 2004 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. It was Race 1 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. Michael Schumacher won the race for Ferrari from pole position in dominant fashion, with his teammate Rubens Barrichello finishing behind him in second. This 1–2 finish gave Ferrari a strong 9-point lead in the constructors' standings after just one race. Williams and Renault each had both cars finish in the points while McLaren, a team that had enjoyed success in years preceding this, only managed one point, with David Coulthard finishing a lapped 8th. The 1-2 finish for Schumacher and Barrichello was the first one-two finish for their Ferrari team since the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix.
| 2004 Australian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 18 in the 2004 Formula One World Championship | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 7 March 2004 | ||
| Official name | 2004 Foster's Australian Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia | ||
| Course | Temporary street circuit | ||
| Course length | 5.303 km (3.295 miles) | ||
| Distance | 58 laps, 307.574 km (191.118 miles) | ||
| Weather |
Dry and cloudy Air temperature 20 °C (68 °F) | ||
| Attendance | 121,500 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:24.408 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:24.125 on lap 29 (lap record) | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | Ferrari | ||
| Third | Renault | ||
|
Lap leaders | |||
This race marked the first time since the 2001 San Marino Grand Prix that cars competed without using fully-automatic gearboxes and launch control, which were both banned by the FIA after the 2003 season. The use of traction control was still permitted by the FIA, and would continue to be used over the next three seasons, until being banned for the 2008 season.
This race also marked 150th Grand Prix races for McLaren and Mercedes engine partnership since 1995.