Michael Schumacher won the 2004 season-opening Australian Grand Prix from pole, delivering Ferrari a dominant 1–2 finish and marking the return of manual gearbox starts.
Key Facts
- Race number in season
- Race 1 of 18
- Winner
- Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- Ferrari constructors' lead
- 9 points after Race 1
- McLaren–Mercedes milestone
- 150th GP together since 1995
- F1 debut
- Christian Klien (Jaguar)
- Last Ferrari 1–2 finish
- 2002 Japanese Grand Prix
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The FIA banned fully-automatic gearboxes and launch control after the 2003 season, forcing all teams to compete without these aids for the first time since the 2001 San Marino Grand Prix. Ferrari arrived as strong favourites with Schumacher and Barrichello, while competitors like McLaren faced performance questions.
On 7 March 2004 at Albert Park Circuit, Michael Schumacher led from pole position to win the opening race of the season, with teammate Rubens Barrichello finishing second. The McLaren–Mercedes partnership also reached its 150th Grand Prix together, and Christian Klien made his Formula 1 debut for Jaguar.
Ferrari's 1–2 result gave them a 9-point lead in the constructors' championship after just one race, setting the tone for a dominant season. McLaren's single point from Coulthard's lapped eighth place highlighted a performance gap that would persist. The race confirmed the competitive landscape under revised technical regulations banning automatic gearboxes and launch control.
Result
at Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne