Japan: H.H. Frentzen in Thursday Press Conference

H.H. Frentzen
By Jamie Makin (10/10/03)
October 11 2003

Heinz-Harald Frentzen was interviewed in the Thursday press conference before what might be his final F1 race. This interview follows up on his podium finish in Indianapolis two weeks earlier.

Q: Heinz-Harald, how satisfying was the result of Indy for you?
HHF: Ah, great pleasure, great pleasure to be on the podium after some time and to see some old mates. And for the team it was also a nice situation, particularly in the championship where we were not able to be close to our target, finishing fifth in the Constructors' championship as we were planning at the start and now we're a bit closer to that target. And coming to this race, we again feel that we still have to finish the job.

Q: Since then, both of the drivers have been told that you won't be continuing with the team next year. Do you feel the team has been justified in getting rid of you both, even though Peter Sauber has said that there's nothing wrong with his drivers?
HHF: Well, Peter Sauber is someone who has big responsibility to his team and he needs to make decisions which take care of everybody in the factory for the future of the team ,so from my point of view, I would wish him all the best for the next years. I think he's bringing forward a strong package for the future together with his future manufacturer and he has got a very modern wind tunnel, perhaps the most modern wind tunnel in the world starting at the end of the year and this is a very strong package. So I could be a little bit jealous of the situation but obviously our destinations are in different directions.

Q: What direction is yours going in, have you still got more to offer in Formula One?
HHF: Yeah, well, there are some options which I am considering at the moment, what I could do, driving with another team next year and I could also leave Formula One and do another championship. I'm still pretty much in favour of motor sport, I like the sport and whatever happens, I will be happy doing my motor sport. I will see. I'm weighing up the options at the moment and I am in no hurry to make a decision.

Q: Which car out of Williams, McLaren and Ferrari is the better at this circuit?
HHF: Well, I don't want to answer this question too specifically. I would say generally this is a fantastic racetrack here. When I was racing here in Formula 3000 I really enjoyed it and it doesn't really matter what car quality you have to make it enjoyable. I look forward to this race because it is big fun to drive here.

Q: But would you say one of those three was better than the other at this circuit, from what you have seen in the last 15 races?
HHF: I have never driven the cars. All I have seen of them was always when I received two flags. Only in Indianapolis did I have a chance to drive with Michael and with Kimi on the same lap and the cars are all pretty quick.