2004 British Grand Prix

Previous race

Schumacher employed a four-stop strategy to beat Alonso at Magny-Cours. With two laps remaining, Barrichello made an overtaking move on Trulli at the final corner to snatch third. Coulthard dropped from third to sixth after a fuel hose problem at his second stop; Gené finished tenth in his first race standing in for the injured Ralf Schumacher.

Between-race developments

After a demonstration of Formula One cars on Regent Street in London — attended by an estimated 500,000 spectators, with Nigel Mansell driving the Jordan EJ14 — Minardi Sporting Director John Walton died of a heart attack. The team has withdrawn its cars from Saturday morning practice as a mark of respect.

Practice

Barrichello and Schumacher topped the first session. Räikkönen led the second, just five thousandths of a second clear of Fisichella’s Sauber. Räikkönen was fastest again in the third session ahead of Button, and the two repeated that result in the fourth.