Ralf Schumacher's victory shifted the Constructors' Championship lead from Ferrari to Williams, tightening both title races after two rounds.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Ralf Schumacher (Williams)
- Laps
- 56
- Attendance
- 92,000 spectators
- Winning margin
- 39.7 seconds over Montoya
- Championship round
- Round 2 of 17
- First-ever drive-through penalty
- Issued to Montoya for lap 1 collision
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Michael Schumacher started from pole position having set the fastest lap in qualifying. At the first corner, he and Montoya collided, removing both from immediate contention and promoting Rubens Barrichello into the lead for Ferrari.
Ralf Schumacher, starting fourth, took the lead during the first pit stop cycle and held it for most of the remaining 56 laps at Sepang International Circuit. Montoya finished second despite serving a drive-through penalty — the first ever in Formula One — for his role in the opening collision. Michael Schumacher recovered to third on the final lap.
Williams's one-two finish moved the team eight championship points ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors' standings. In the Drivers' Championship, Michael Schumacher's lead shrank to two points over Montoya and four over Ralf Schumacher, with 15 races still to run.