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| Heinz-Harald Frentzen |
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| Nationality |
German |
| Born |
18.5.67 |
| Place of birth |
Moenchengladbach, Germany |
| Lives |
Monaco |
| Marital status |
Married to Tanja |
| Height/Weight |
1.78m / 64.5kg |
| Hobbies |
Karting, flying model planes |
| Favorite food |
mother's Paella; fish, pasta |
| Grand Prix wins |
Imola'97, France'99, Italy'99 |
| Grand Prix starts |
100 |
| Pole positions |
Monaco '97, Nurburgring '99 |
| Podium finishes |
15 |
| Previous teams |
Williams |
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Profile
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Heinz-Harald Frentzen was, as predicted by Eddie Jordan, the surprise of the 1999 season. He emerged from what many believed to be the twilight years of his Formula One career to become a contender for the Formula One World Championship, the winner of two Grands Prix, four podium places and one pole position. A decade on from his first drive with Jordan in F3000, Frentzen, like his team, has become a serious player in Formula One.
Frentzen's motor racing career began in the early eighties, with five years spent karting before racing in Formula Ford and Formula Opel. A boost to his career came in 1990 from Mercedes. Driving for their junior team, Frentzen's talent out-shone that of Michael Schumacher, but his progression into the higher echelons of motor sport was not to be as smooth as that of his rival. Finding himself without a full time drive in 1992, he came close to going back to his family business as an undertaker, but decided instead to race F3000 in Japan. His performance there was good enough to make the world of Formula One take note, and in 1994 he was snapped up by Sauber. After two years with the Swiss team he moved to Williams in a well documented step which saw him take the place of 1996 World Champion Damon Hill.
The pressure on Frentzen during his years at Williams was high. Reflecting on that time now, Frentzen realises it gave him the chance to gain valuable experience of Formula One driving as well as of how to deal with the pressures of the sport. "Nearly ten years ago, I was the wrong man for Eddie," Frentzen explains. "But before the start of our first joint season in 1999 I realised we had both changed. Eddie has learned to survive in F1, the toughest category of motor sport in the world, and I have learned this too. I am not as inhibited as I used to be. When you lack the gift of the gab, as I do, you have to compensate with experience and know-how, which is what I learnt in the two years before I joined Jordan. Eddie and I are united by the fact that we have both had set backs in our careers but that ultimately, our career paths have constantly moved upward, and usually when people have least expected it!"
With Spanish parentage mixed with his German blood, Frentzen's quiet nature often hides his sense of humour. He lives in Monaco with his wife Tanja whom he married in October 1999. Away from Formula One racing he enjoys jet skiing, water skiing and flying model aeroplanes.
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Career
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1980 - 1985
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Karting |
| 1986 |
Formula Ford 2000
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| 1987 |
Formula Ford 2000
Runner up in German Championship
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| 1988 |
Formula Opel Lotus for Jochen Mass Junior team. Won the German Championship
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| 1989 |
Formula 3 with Schuebel/Reynard.
Runner up in German Championship
ahead of M. Schumacher and behind Karl Wendlinger.
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| 1990 |
Drove Sauber-Mercedes C11 for the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team with M. Schumacher and Karl Wendlinger in FIA World Sports Prototype Championship.
Best result: second at Donington
Drove for Jordan in F3000 Championship in Reynard Mugen 90D with Naspetti and Irvine.
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| 1991 |
Drove for Vortex team in F3000
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| 1992 |
Drove in FIA Sports Car World Championship for Euro Racing, in the Japanese Sports Prototype Championship and the Japanese F3000 Championship for Nova Engineering.
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| 1993 |
Japanese F3000 Championship for Nova Engineering
Best result: 2nd in Fuji
First experience of F1; test driver for Mugen engines and Bridgestone tyres in a Tyrrell-Honda.
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| 1994 |
Drove for Sauber in F1
Finished 13th in World Championship
4th in France, 5th in Aida, 6th in Jerez and Suzuka
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| 1995 |
Drove for Sauber-Ford in F1
Finished 9th in World Championship
First podium finish: 3rd in Italy
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| 1996 |
Drove for Sauber-Ford in F1
Finished 12th in World Championship
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| 1997 |
Drove for Williams Renault
Finished 2nd in World Championship
First Grand Prix victory at Imola
First pole at Monaco
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| 1998 |
Drove for Williams-Mechachrome.
Finished 7th in World Championship
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| 1999 |
First season with Benson and Hedges Jordan
Pole at European Grand Prix, Nurburgring
Two victories, France and Italy
Finished 3rd in World Championship
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