Race Results 2004


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Round 3 - BAHRAIN, Bahrain - Race Results

Conditions: ; Temperatures: track 29-32°C, air 31°C

Position  Driver  Car (Tyres)  Time/Retirement Laps Pitstops
1  Michael SCHUMACHER  Ferrari (B)  1h 28m 34.875s 57 3
2  Rubens BARRICHELLO  Ferrari (B)  + 0m 01.367s 57 3
3  Jenson BUTTON  BAR Honda (M)  + 0m 26.687s 57 3
4  Jarno TRULLI  Renault (M)  + 0m 32.214s 57 3
5  Takuma SATO  BAR Honda (M)  + 0m 52.460s 57 3
6  Fernando ALONSO  Renault (M)  + 0m 53.156s 57 3
7  Ralf SCHUMACHER  Williams BMW (M)  + 0m 58.155s 57 3
8  Mark WEBBER  Jaguar Cosworth (M)  + 1 lap 56 3
9  Olivier PANIS  Toyota (M)  + 1 lap 56 3
10  Cristiano DA MATTA  Toyota (M)  + 1 lap 56 3
11  Giancarlo FISICHELLA  Sauber Petronas (B)  + 1 lap 56 3
12  Felipe MASSA  Sauber Petronas (B)  + 1 lap 56 3
13  Juan Pablo MONTOYA  Williams BMW (M)  + 1 lap 56 3
14  Christian KLIEN  Jaguar Cosworth (M)  + 1 lap 56 3
15  Nick HEIDFELD  Jordan Ford (B)  + 1 lap 56 2
16  Giorgio PANTANO  Jordan Ford (B)  + 2 laps 55 3
17  Gianmaria BRUNI  Minardi Cosworth (B)  + 5 laps 52 2
 Not classified
Ret  David COULTHARD  McLaren Mercedes (M)  Engine (pneumatics) 50 4
Ret  Zsolt BAUMGARTNER  Minardi Cosworth (B)  Engine 44 3
Ret  Kimi RAIKKONEN  McLaren Mercedes (M)  Engine 7 0
Notes:
For the third race running, race day weather conditions were very different from earlier in the weekend, with track temperature some 20° down. Rain fell before the race and threatened in the immediate lead-up, but the race itself was dry.

Grid positions were altered from qualifying for the following drivers: Heidfeld (18th) and Raikonnen (19th) having both been penalised 10 grid slots for an engine change on Friday, and Baumgartner (20th) having been put to the back of the grid for an engine change after qualifying. Raikonnen elected to start from the pitlane.

Bruni failed to get away on the parade lap and was pushed to the pitlane from where he eventually joined the race 2 laps down.

Everyone made it round the first corner safely, although Alonso clearly tagged someone, damaging his front wing, requiring a pitstop at the end of Lap 1.

Michael Schumacher made a flawless start to lead from pole and stayed there without drama throughout the race - enough said!

The real action was further down the field, with terrific battles for position in the lower order - of the newcomers, Klien impressed with his assertive driving (although he did include an off-track excursion or two in his repertoir) and Sato was something of a revelation, surviving a squeeze from Ralf Schumacher when he had the audacity to try and retake the position he'd just lost (Ralf had to pit for a precautionary check of his rear suspension) and putting a superb move on Coulthard for P6.

Button had another good race, taking positions during the first two rounds of pitstops. Safe in 4th after the third round of stops, he benefitted from Montoya's mechanical problems late in the race to take his second successive podium finish, placing him 3rd in the championship.

Montoya drove a sound race, although never troubling the Ferraris in front, until fading brakes and a worsening gear selection problem dropped him from 3rd to 13th in the closing laps.

Ralf Schumacher had an eventful race - the incident with Sato is being subjected to a post-race stewards enquiry which may yet result in a penalty at the next race (post-race note: Ralf has been given an offical reprimand for this incident - under the new system introduced this year, any driver earning three reprimands in a season will receive a race ban). On his second pitstop he left a little prematurely, knocking over two of his mechanics. All in all, he did well to salvage 2 points from the day - and this is the man Toyota are rumoured to be about to sign for $60 million over 5 years!

(Post-race note: At a hearing following the race, Ferrari have been fined $10,000 for an incident in the pitlane where they were judged to have released Barrichello from his stop when it was not safe to do so, causing Trulli to take evasive action on his own way out of the pits.)

What can I say about Raikonnen ... another engine blows in spectacular fashion with only 7 laps completed ... he has yet to finish a race and must be wondering where the promise of last season has disappeared to.

And a final word about the circuit itself - without a doubt the organisers can congratulate themselves for the considerable achievement of holding a race only 16 months after first breaking ground on the new track, but while the facilities and the hospitality were reportedly excellent, the circuit itself seemed somewhat characterless ... maybe it will mature in time.

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