On this day in 2004 Michael Schumacher secured fourth consecutive victory in 2004 F1 season after Jenson Button defeated him in qualifying day earlier, first time in 2004, and secured his first ever Formula 1 pole position.
Button won a brilliant pole position in his BAR Honda 006 after Schumacher made a mistake in a Variante Alta chicane at the start of third sector after he had 0.234 seconds advantage in the first two sectors. Nevertheless, the German driver had more fuel in his Ferrari F2004 and convincigly won the race with a longer first stint.
Jenson had a rocket start from the pole position and had already 2.7 seconds advantage at the end of the first lap thanks to Michelin tyres which got up to temperature more quickly than Bridgestones, but Schumacher managed to fend off Montoya’s attacks in the first lap and close in on Jenson.
It was Schumacher’s 74th victory in his career and sixth in San Marino GP (1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004), and he celebrated another victory at the same circuit in 2006, in the race where he surpassed Senna’s record of 65 pole positions.
STARTING GRID
| 1 | 9 | Jenson Button | BAR/Honda | 1:19.753 | – |
| 2 | 1 | M.Schumacher | Ferrari | 1:20.011 | 0.258 |
| 3 | 3 | J.P.Montoya | Williams/BMW | 1:20.212 | 0.459 |
| 4 | 2 | R.Barrichello | Ferrari | 1:20.451 | 0.698 |
| 5 | 4 | Ralf Schumacher | Williams/BMW | 1:20.538 | 0.785 |
| 6 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:20.895 | 1.142 |
| 7 | 10 | Takuma Sato | BAR/Honda | 1:20.913 | 1.160 |
| 8 | 14 | Mark Webber | Jaguar/Cosworth | 1:20.921 | 1.168 |
| 9 | 7 | Jarno Trulli | Renault | 1:21.034 | 1.281 |
| 10 | 16 | C.da Matta | Toyota | 1:21.087 | 1.334 |
| 11 | 5 | David Coulthard | McLaren/Mercedes | 1:21.091 | 1.338 |
| 12 | 12 | Felipe Massa | Sauber/Petronas | 1:21.532 | 1.779 |
| 13 | 17 | Olivier Panis | Toyota | 1:21.558 | 1.805 |
| 14 | 15 | Christian Klien | Jaguar/Cosworth | 1:21.949 | 2.196 |
| 15 | 19 | Giorgio Pantano | Jordan/Ford | 1:23.352 | 3.599 |
| 16 | 18 | Nick Heidfeld | Jordan/Ford | 1:23.488 | 3.735 |
| 17 | 20 | Gianmaria Bruni | Minardi/Cosworth | 1:26.899 | 7.146 |
| 18 | 11 | G.Fisichella | Sauber/Petronas | – | – |
| 19 | 21 | Z.Baumgartner | Minardi/Cosworth | 1:46.299 | 26.546 |
| 20 | 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren/Mercedes | – | – |
RACE RESULTS
| 1 | 1 | M.Schumacher | Ferrari | 62 | 1:26:19.670 | |
| 2 | 9 | Jenson Button | BAR/Honda | 62 | 1:26:29.372 | 9.702 |
| 3 | 3 | J.P.Montoya | Williams/BMW | 62 | 1:26:41.287 | 21.617 |
| 4 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 62 | 1:26:43.324 | 23.654 |
| 5 | 7 | Jarno Trulli | Renault | 62 | 1:26:55.886 | 36.216 |
| 6 | 2 | R.Barrichello | Ferrari | 62 | 1:26:56.353 | 36.683 |
| 7 | 4 | Ralf Schumacher | Williams/BMW | 62 | 1:27:15.400 | 55.730 |
| 8 | 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren/Mercedes | 61 | 1:26:20.284 | 1 lap |
| 9 | 11 | G.Fisichella | Sauber/Petronas | 61 | 1:26:21.263 | 1 lap |
| 10 | 12 | Felipe Massa | Sauber/Petronas | 61 | 1:26:33.852 | 1 lap |
| 11 | 17 | Olivier Panis | Toyota | 61 | 1:26:58.490 | 1 lap |
| 12 | 5 | David Coulthard | McLaren/Mercedes | 61 | 1:26:59.350 | 1 lap |
| 13 | 14 | Mark Webber | Jaguar/Cosworth | 61 | 1:27:08.421 | 1 lap |
| 14 | 15 | Christian Klien | Jaguar/Cosworth | 60 | 1:26:54.894 | 2 laps |
| 15 | 21 | Z.Baumgartner | Minardi/Cosworth | 58 | 1:26:40.096 | 4 laps |
| 16 | 10 | Takuma Sato | BAR/Honda | 56 | 1:19:10.315 | Engine |
| (15) | 18 | Nick Heidfeld | Jordan/Ford | 48 | 1:09:14.164 | Transmission |
| (12) | 16 | C.da Matta | Toyota | 32 | 45:48.898 | Spun off |
| (19) | 20 | Gianmaria Bruni | Minardi/Cosworth | 22 | 32:58.138 | Brakes |
| (13) | 19 | Giorgio Pantano | Jordan/Ford | 6 | 8:43.157 | Hydraulics |
Fastest lap: Michael Schumacher – 1:20.411 (lap 10)
