The race took place in bright sunshine after a powerful typhoon blew out Saturday's qualifying and forced it to be postponed until the morning of the race for the first time in Formula One history.

Schumacher made light of the extra workload and comfortably secured pole position before cruising to his 83rd career win and sixth at Suzuka.

The all-conquering German, who clinched an unprecedented seventh world title in August, finished 14 seconds in front of younger brother Ralf's Williams after slowing down at the end.

The win took Schumacher's points haul to 146, beating his own 2002 record tally of 144.

Second was Ralf's best result of the season, and also Williams' first podium since April, and it came in only his second race back after suffering spinal fractures when he crashed heavily at the U.S. Grand Prix in June.

But there was no stopping big brother.

"Qualifying pre-determined the race I think," said Michael Schumacher. "We had to be flat-out until the pit-stops but we have dominated all year and I didn't expect anything different here. We were superb."

Britain's Jenson Button finished third -- his 10th podium of 2004 -- for BAR in their 100th race since joining Formula One in 1999.

Japanese team mate Takuma Sato was fourth as BAR virtually secured second place in the constructors' standings ahead of Renault.

BAR have 116 points to 100 for Renault with just the Brazilian Grand Prix remaining. Ferrari have 254, a points record for a single season.

Renault scored just four points, with Spaniard Fernando Alonso fifth and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve 10th and out of the points again in his second race for the team since he replaced Italian Jarno Trulli.

French veteran Olivier Panis, who hands over to Brazilian Ricardo Zonta for the final race, ended his Formula One career in 14th place for Toyota.

Schumacher's victory gave constructors' champions Ferrari a record-equalling 15th win of the season after Brazilian Rubens Barrichello won the last two races at Monza and Shanghai.

Barrichello's hopes of a hat-trick ended when he collided with McLaren's David Coulthard at the fastest part of the circuit, forcing both cars off the track.

"I am really happy to be going home," said Barrichello. "Probably winning three in a row going to Brazil would have been terrible pressure."

Coulthard's retirement was a blow for McLaren, fighting Williams for fourth place in the standings. Separated by just six points before the race, Williams moved a more comfortable 13 clear.

"We're certainly pleased to be on the podium, no doubt about it," said Patrick Head, Williams' director of engineering and co-owner.

"It was a fantastic drive from Ralf, he did just what he needed to do at the right time."

Jaguar's Mark Webber suffered an unusual retirement -- forced to quit when his seat became to hot, making cockpit conditions unbearable.

"After six or seven laps the right hand side of the seat was incredibly hot," said Webber, first out of the race after qualifying third.

"I thought it would stay there... but after the first stop it was just getting hotter and hotter and the seat belt buckle on the right hand side was just like really, really hot water on my skin."