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Born 18 May 1967 Monchengladbach
F1 Debut 1994, Brazil
Seasons 1994-2000
Formerly one of Formula 1's hottest properties, Heinz-Harald Frentzen's star waned during his two year spell at Williams and it looked as if he was going to end up as one of F1’s nearly men. That all changed with the move to Jordan at the start of the 1999 season. Enveloped in the family-like atmosphere of the Silverstone-based team Heinz-Harald has blossomed into a major contender for both race wins and the championship.
Frentzen came up through German Formula 3 and the Mercedes junior sportscar team where he was partnered with Michael Schumacher and Karl Wendlinger. Peter Sauber, then the Mercedes team boss, rated Frentzen quicker than Schumacher, but Frentzen's impatience led to errors and as a result his career took longer to take off.
While Schumacher was carving a name for himself with Benetton Heinz-Harald endured a couple of tough seasons in International Formula 3000 with Eddie Jordan and then Team Vortex. His lack of obvious success meant the offers failed to materialise for 1992 and he was forced into exile in Japan.
In 1994 he was offered a seat with Sauber for what was to be the Swiss team’s second season in F1 and from the start he proved to be quick. Following the death of Senna at Imola Frentzen was approached by Williams and offered the drive. In a remarkable display of loyalty to the man who had rescued him from Japan he declined the offer and remained with Sauber until the end of 1996.
During that time he registered some solid performances in what was basically a mid-field machine and yet once Williams approached him with an offer to replace Damon Hill. Wrongly the British press and public blamed Frentzen for forcing their hero out of a job and in many ways that set the tone for Heinz-Harald’s dismal two years at Grove.
1997 was a disaster with Frentzen scoring just a single victory to Villeneuve’s seven wins. His second season with Williams was hardly any better. When it was announced that he would drive for Jordan in 1999 alongside the man he had replaced at Williams a lot of pundits predicted that another lacklustre season lay ahead. How wrong they were. Not only did Heinz consistently blow off his vaunted teammate he also showed that he could run with the current crop of wannabe champs.
A well-judged race in France saw Heinz-Harald score his second career victory with a third arriving at Monza following a rare lapse of concentration on the part of Mika Hakkinen. Combined with consistent podium places Frentzen, almost single-handedly dragged, Jordan into third place in the Constructors’ Cup, making 1999 the best season ever for Eddie and his boys.
For 2000 Frentzen will assume the number one role in the team as he is joined by the young, Italian hotshot Jarno Trulli. Heinz-Harald may find the ex-Prost pilot harder to contain that a de-motivated Damon but with his extensive experience and obvious talent the first year of the new millennium should be an exciting one for this son of an undertaker. |
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HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN PICTURES |
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