Heinz-Harald Frentzen was one of Germany's hopes in motorsport. Along with Michael Schumacher and Austrian Karl Wendlinger, he was a sportscar driver for Mercedes, and a very fast one. His performances in the World Sportscar Championship were so good, that Eddie Jordan wanted to sign him for the 1991 Formula 3000 season. Frentzen considered signing, but after some advice by Peter Sauber and Jochen Mass, Frentzen didn't and stayed with Mercedes for the 1991 season. In 1991, he would compete alongside Jochen Mass in a Mercedes C11, as well as later in the Mercedes C291, built after the new 3,5l engine regulations for the Group C sportscars. In the final results, he and Mass would end up in front of his teammates Michael Schumacher and Karl Wendlinger. But after 1991 season, Mercedes would pull out of sportscar racing. This left Frentzen without a drive for 1992. His teammates Schumacher and Wendlinger had seats for 1992. Frentzen had an offer by another sportscar team to drive their Lola T92/10, but then another door opened...
The Mercedes C11, Frentzens vehicle in 1991
Tyrrell was looking for a second driver, next to Andrea de Cesaris. Some in the team preferred Olivier Grouillard, but he was unpopular among many people with Tyrrell, if not the whole paddock. So they looked for another driver. This was when Peter Sauber came in. Originally, he wanted to enter an own Formula One team. But he postponed his entry to 1993, because Mercedes ceased their support of Sauber (Originally, Mercedes wanted to enter as a works team). While Schumacher had a long-term contract with Benetton, Wendlinger didn't. So Wendlinger was an obvious choice for 1993, and so was Frentzen. But an extra year of training couldn't harm, thought Sauber, so he approached Tyrrell to get Frentzen a seat. A few days later, Frentzen was invited by Tyrrell to test their car at Silverstone. The executives at Tyrrell were impressed, and Frentzen was offered an one-year contract on the spot. He signed it of course, and thus would Heinz-Harald Frentzens career in Formula One begin.
Next, Frentzen's 1992 season with Tyrrell
