French Grand Prix 2004 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Michael Schumacher claimed his ninth victory from ten races with a commanding performance at Magny-Cours, controlling the French Grand Prix from start to finish despite Fernando Alonso taking pole position for Renault. The German overhauled the young Spaniard at the start and was never headed, his superior race pace and tire management proving decisive on Renault's home circuit. Alonso drove brilliantly to secure second place ahead of Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari, the Renault driver delivering his strongest result since his Monaco victory earlier in the season.

The race saw Schumacher demonstrate his complete mastery of modern Formula 1, converting second on the grid into victory with a trademark aggressive start before controlling proceedings with clinical precision. Alonso pushed hard throughout but couldn't match the Ferrari's pace, the Spaniard forced to defend against Barrichello's late-race pressure to maintain second place. The Brazilian finished third after a frustrating afternoon, his championship deficit to Schumacher extending beyond 80 points with the title now merely a formality. McLaren and Williams both struggled badly, their season-long decline continuing at a circuit where both teams expected to show stronger form.

Schumacher's French triumph moved him to within one victory of equaling the championship with four races remaining, his dominance so complete that the title fight had become a mathematical inevitability. Ferrari's ninth win from ten starts represented supremacy rarely witnessed in Formula 1 history, their 2004 campaign establishing performance benchmarks that would stand for years. Alonso's podium offered Renault hope for their 2005 challenge, while Schumacher's relentless winning machine rolled inexorably toward a record-breaking seventh world championship.