25.07.2004 Michael Schumacher'S ELEVENTH win of the season was hard fought, as he came under pressure, first from Kimi Raikkonen and then from Jenson Button: German Grand Prix report

An eleventh win of the season for Michael Schumacher means the German has equalled his own record established in 2002 for the most number of victories in the year.

Unfortunately, another statistic came to an end in Hockenheim as Rubens Barrichello failed to finish in the points for the first time this season. The Brazilian came home twelfth.

Michael’s 81st career win, Ferrari’s 178th was hard fought, as the German came under pressure, first from Kimi Raikkonen and then from Jenson Button.

At the start, Schumacher got away cleanly from pole, Alonso came through from fifth to go second, with Raikkonen third. Barrichello ran into the back of Coulthard’s McLaren and had to pit for a new nose, dropping him to the back of the field.

The team chose to then switch the Brazilian from the planned three stop strategy, the same for Schumacher, to a two stop race. Fourth was Trulli, followed by Coulthard, Webber, Montoya, Pizzonia, Sato and Klien completing the top ten.

Raikkonen moved ahead of Alonso on lap 2. By lap 8, Michael had a 3.3 second lead over Raikkonen with Alonso a further 3 seconds behind. Alonso and Pizzonia were the first to refuel on lap 9, with Michael, Trulli, Coulthard and Sato stopping on lap 10.

Button, who would always pit later than the rest of the three stoppers then led briefly until Michael re-took the lead on lap 15 when the BAR man refuelled.

By then the main threat to Schumacher had disappeared when Raikkonen crashed heavily at Turn 1 on lap 14. The Ferrari man now led from Alonso, Coulthard, Montoya, Button and Trulli.

Barrichello refuelled on lap 23 when lying 12th. Michael made his second stop on lap 28 handing the lead to Alonso for one lap and then to Button until the Englishman pitted again on lap 34.

From then on to the flag at the end of lap 66, the race having been shortened by one lap as Panis stalled the Toyota on the formation lap, Michael kept the lead except for laps 48 to 50 having made his final visit down pit lane on lap 47.

Behind him, a thrilling dice for second place was going on between Alonso and Button, with the BAR eventually getting the upper hand on lap 52.

Although Jenson did close the gap to the Ferrari for a while, he never posed a serious threat to Schumacher in the closing stages.

Behind this podium trio, the remaining points places went to Coulthard, Montoya, Webber, Pizzonia and Sato.