23.05.2004 Jarno Trulli claims his first ever Grand Prix victory while Rubens Barrichello salvages Ferrari's pride by finishing on the podium: MONACO GRAND PRIX race report AND resulT

The Monaco Grand Prix was action packed, full of drama and excitement but for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro the only reward was six points courtesy of Rubens Barrichello who finished third after being uncomfortable with the handling of his F2004 throughout most of the afternoon.

Michael Schumacher was actually leading the race when, on lap 46, when the race was being run behind the Safety Car, he was driven into by Montoya in the tunnel. The car was too badly damaged for him to continue.

Although he was leading, Michael later admitted he did not think he could have beaten Jarno Trulli, who starting from pole in his Renault took his first F1 win at his 119th attempt. Second place went to the BAR-Honda of Jenson Button.

For Michael, this was the first time he has not finished a race since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix and also the first time since then that he has not scored any points.

The first start was aborted after Panis stalled his Toyota. At the second start, Trulli led followed by third placed Alonso. Then came Button, followed by team-mate Sato who barged his way past Raikkonen and Michael, who were behind in that order, with Rubens behind his team-mate.

On lap three, Sato’s engine blew up and unable to see through the thick smoke, Fisichella in the Sauber hit Coulthard in the McLaren-Mercedes and the Italian’s car flipped over, bringing out the Safety Car.

Lap eight saw Montoya get past Barrichello so the Brazilian was now 7th. Montoya was the first of the front runners to refuel, on lap 13. Barrichello pitted on lap twenty and Michael, with a clear track ahead put in a series of 4 fastest laps. It meant that when he pitted on lap 26, he was able to move up to third behind the Renaults, getting ahead of Raikkonen and Button.

Raikkonen retired on lap 29. On lap 42, Alonso crashed out of second place at the tunnel and the Safety Car came out again. On lap 46, one lap before the Safety Car came in, Michael who unlike his rivals did not refuel behind the SC was in the lead, with Montoya behind him a lap down.

In the tunnel, as the cars warmed up their tyres and brakes for the restart, the Wlliams driver’s left front wheel clipped the Ferrari’s right rear, sending Michael into the barriers causing his retirement. A Stewards meeting after the race decided it was a “racing incident.”

From this point on the order at the front was Trulli, Button and Barrichello, the Brazilian maintaining this position to the flag, even when he made his second and final pit stop on lap 55.