Malaysian Grand Prix 2004 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Michael Schumacher made it two perfect victories from two starts with another commanding performance at Sepang, extending Ferrari's flawless beginning to 2004 as the F2004 continued to embarrass its rivals. The German led from pole position and was never threatened, controlling the Malaysian heat with the same clinical precision that had characterized his Australian triumph. Juan Pablo Montoya delivered Williams' best result of the young season with second place, while Jenson Button claimed his first podium for BAR-Honda in third - the British driver's strong pace confirming the Honda-powered team's impressive winter development.

The race unfolded as a procession behind Schumacher, with the Ferrari driver managing his pace effortlessly while building a comfortable cushion over his pursuers. Montoya's second place represented a rare bright spot for Williams-BMW, the Colombian extracting maximum performance from the FW26 package. Button's podium finish was richly deserved, the Englishman driving maturely to fend off challenges from Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso while demonstrating BAR's emergence as a genuine podium contender. Rubens Barrichello could only manage seventh after being delayed in the midfield battle, though Ferrari's constructor championship dominance looked inevitable.

Schumacher's second consecutive victory established a pattern that would define 2004 - Ferrari setting the pace from pole position, the F2004 managing tire wear brilliantly, and rivals left fighting for minor placings. The 20-point maximum from the opening two races gave Schumacher a commanding early championship lead, while Button's podium announced BAR as the season's surprise package. Malaysia confirmed that 2004 would witness Ferrari supremacy on a scale F1 had rarely seen before.