2004 European Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher leads Barrichello by 12 points and Button by 18. Ferrari’s advantage in the Constructors’ Championship stands at 36 over Renault and 48 over BAR.

Previous race

Trulli won at Monaco from pole — his first and only Formula One victory — surviving intense pressure from Button. Barrichello in third was the only other driver on the lead lap, more than a minute behind. Schumacher retired after a collision with Montoya under the safety car, ending a run of five consecutive wins. Sato’s engine exploded on lap three at Tabac; the smoke blinded the drivers behind, and Fisichella struck the back of Coulthard’s McLaren and flipped over. Panis and da Matta scored Toyota’s first championship points in sixth and eighth.

Between-race developments

Williams announced significant changes to their technical structure. Patrick Head, a co-founder of the team, has stepped down from the technical director role after 26 years, replaced by Sam Michael, previously responsible for track operations. The move reflects growing tensions between the team and BMW over results in the opening rounds.