Malaysian GP Race DayWelcome to coverge of the second round of the 2004 formula 1 season. It is Williams who are in prime position for the race after locking out the front row in qualifying with current championship leader Rubens Barrichello sat on pole position. The forecast shows an usually dry race for Sepang with no rain expected in the next two hours.
And the race is underway as Villenueve is looking for a way past the Ferrari of Schumacher

But its his team mate Da Matta who squeezes his way into 5th instead

Meanwhile upfront Barrichello still holds the lead on the run down to turn 3

One of the Arrows locking up behind the Sauber of Glock

A fastest lap for Barrichello

Raikkonen is now into 17th after the second lap of the race

But what is this... Rubens is off into the gravel!!!

And as his team mate is forced to slow behind him Fisichella flies into the lead

And sets a new fastest lap

Alonso is currently the lowest placed McLaren driver in 13th

Whilst his team mate is in 10th

Da Matta having a great race so far and is up into 3rd

Meanwhile Rubens is making his way back to the front as he easilly dispatches Schumacher to take 5th

Heidfeld is in a spin at turn 7

He gets going again, albeit in last place

Barrichello now has his sights set on 4th placed Coulthard

Whilst his team mate now holds the fastest lap

As he sails past Fisichella on the run down to turn 1 to take the lead

De la Rosa is currently running in 16th place

Alonso is the next driver off the road at 7

He rejoins in 16th

Schumacher and Coulthard are side by side down the back straight...

And he has the inside line into the final corner...

But he chickens out, very unlike the Schumacher we're used to. Meanwhile Montoya sets a new fastest lap

Whilst Frentzen is having a look at 17th placed man Raikkonen

But unlike Schumacher makes it stick

Schumacher is still having a look at Coulthard

But they make contact!

However Schumacher backs out the move and Coulthard holds onto 5th for now

Barrichello just flies past Da Matta to take 3rd. He seems to be a lot lighter on fuel than the rest of the field...

And as a result sets the fastest lap of the race, could Williams be trying a three stopper...

Lotterer is currently residing in 12th

With the field now starting the spread out its time for some standings




Lotterer getting his braking all wrong going onto the back straight...

And now he has Sato all over his gearbox


And Sato makes the move stick

Meanwhile unseen by the cameras Barrichello has gotten past Fisichella to make it a Williams 1-2, and now the pair and pulling away from the field at an alarming rate

Trulli having a look at the Sauber of Heidfeld

And he takes the position going into turn 1

But hand on whats going on here? a bit of synchronized drifting from Da Matta and Schumacher?

A logical guess would be that it was a result of another failed overtaking attempt. However the German realizes his mistake and lets Da Matta back through

Some team orders going on here as the obviously quicker Barrichello overtakes a unusually timid Montoya with ease

However this is more like it as the two are side by side down the home stretch

And Montoya retakes the lead, very nervy moments for the Williams camp


Its now Glocks turn to spin at 7 as he is left facing the wrong way

It looks like he made the exact same mistake as his team mate...

Meanwhile Barrichello retakes the lead from Montoya probably after some very stern words for Montoya from the team

Heidfeld working his way back up the field is now against looking for a way past Trulli

And is past the Arrows before they even reach the hairpin

Now Lotterer's is off at 7...

But he manages the keep it facing the right way

But De la Rosa manages to squeeze past going into 9...

And Frentzen also goes past in the next corner

Another fastest lap for Barrichello

Coulthard is under pressure from Villenueve

And the Canadian gets past the Scot going into turn 1


A Williams is off the road at 7! but who is it?

Its Montoya!!! Disaster for Williams who were looking good for a 1-2 finish

And Villenueve is off the road as well after a solid drive

However he's lucky enough to only drop to 10th

Meanwhile Montoya is now in last place

That off means the Schumacher is now in 2nd place

Barrichello is still setting blistering lap times and is almost a second quicker than Schumacher a lap at the moment...

Da Matta is still going strong in 4th

Button is the first to pit

And Frentzen soon follows as the pit calls start coming in

Montoya makes light work of Glock to move into 20th

As Schumacher pits from 2nd

Webber is having a very good, quiet drive and is currently up in 6th

As is Verstappen who has climbed the 4th place

And the leader pits

Those stop now mean that Da Matta is into second

Whilst Barrichello rejoins in 3rd

And Fisichella is back in the lead

Da Matta pits

And Fisichella does a few laps later, Barrichello is now back in the lead

Verstappen and Coulthard now occupy 2nd and 3rd, however both still need to pit


Montoya pits from 14th

Whilst Heidfeld in 21st is having a look at the Minardi of Frentzen

And he takes the place comfortably

Coulthard is now in the pits

Frentzen locking up in 3... or is he...

Indeed he hasn't, looks like a failed overtake from Montoya as his day just gets worse

Villenueve looking for a way past Schumacher for 12th

And he's through

Montoya having another look at Frentzen

And this time he avoids contact and goes through

McNish pits from 6th

Barrichello is pulling away from the field at quite a pace and currently has a 30 second lead of Schumacher in 2nd...

De la Rosa is side by side with the struggling Heidfeld down the main straight

And thats an impressive overtake from the Minardi driver

Its been a while since someone has been off the road but Trulli breaks the trend as he spins in last place

Meanwhile Heidfeld looks like he's has some fight in him again

And he puts the Minardi back in its place

Now that we're nearly at the halfway stage here are some standings




Fisichella is battling with Da Matta for 4th

But to no avail

Barrichello is now a country mile ahead as he sets a new fastest lap

Webber is currently occupying the final points spot

Wilson down in 21st runs wide at 7 as well...

But he keeps going

Alonso is now into 10th place, could points be on the cards after an abysmal weekend so far for the team?

Now Fisichella is off the road at 7

But he loses control and spins the car

And rejoins in 9th as Barrichello pits from the lead

And emerges comfortably in the lead as he is nowhere to be seen as Schumacher comes around the final corner

And in fact he is already in turn 3, this is surely his race to lose now

Here are the current standings which show that Barrichello still has 15 second lead on Schumacher...




Now several drivers are taking to the pit lane including Verstappen from 3rd



An ickle in team battle is going on between Wilson and Trulli for 21st place, it may take a while for the team to get up to speed...

Villenueve and the other Schumacher are in the pit lane


Montoya and McNish collied as the Colombian tries to make his way back to the front

But McNish holds the position

But a lap later Montoya is through and is side by side with Coulthard for the final points position

And Montoya is through as Frentzen takes to the pits

And indeed as suspected Barrichello makes a third scheduled stop but his blistering pace means he is under no threat as he emerges in the lead

Now with 10 the go and all the scheduled stops completed, here are some standings which so Barrichellos' domination




And Lotterer is off at the final corner, a very odd place to go off at such high speed...

And it looks like the young German has suffered a puncture, a great shame for him as he looked like he was going to finish ahead of his team mate Raikkonen

Alonso has now climbed to 11th place

Whilst Fisichella is having a look at his team mate in 6th...

... he looks like he has made it stick...

...but they collide and Fisichella is thrown into the air!!!

He comes back down to earth with an almighty clunk

Luckily for the Italian he's is still in the race with only a damaged front wing, however he will need to wait for the field to come past and then pit at the end of the lap...

After a quick visit to the pits Montoya is trying to overtake Schumacher for 9th...

... the two collide, however Schumacher holds the position against the over eager Montoya

Barrichello is just cruising now

Fisichella finally makes it to the pits

Meanwhile Montoya has squeezed past Schumacher coming onto the back straight, could he just sneek a point?

I think the answer maybe no after colliding with 8th placed Webber, he is now just too far down the field

Barrichello is now on the back straight for the final time...

...into the final corner...

... and makes it two in a row as Rubens Barrichello wins the Malaysian Grand Prix after a dominating drive, whilst the two Ferraris complete the podium

Full Results to follow
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