Ex-F1 star who rivalled Michael Schumacher looks unrecognisable with new look

Michael Schumacher’s battles with Damon Hill have gone down in F1 folklore – but few fans remember his rivalry with the man who replaced the British driver at Williams

He spent a decade in Formula One, replaced Damon Hill at Williams, and was once second in the world championship standings.

And yet, the name Heinz-Harald Frentzen is not one synonymous with the greats of his sport. Indeed, the 56-year-old is now barely recognisable from the man who once went toe-to-toe with Michael Schumacher and Co.

Frentzen was central to a controversial saga after Damon Hill fell out with Frank Williams, culminating in the one-time world champion joining Jordan. Despite a previously modest record with the Red Bull Sauber Ford team, Frentzen was handpicked as his replacement.

And his maiden season with the British team proved his best in F1. The German would only win once, but a strong run of podiums left him second overall, after Schumacher was disqualified form the standings amid his perceived foul play towards Jacques Villeneuve in the final race.

He was also well in the mix in the 1999 season, rivalling Mika Hakkinen and Eddie Irvine for much of the year. However, he faltered in the closing races, and it was Finn Hakkinen who would eventually prevail.

Frentzen would also go on to race for Jordan, Arrows, and Sauber again and retired from F1 in 2003 with a career points tally of 174, which included 18 podiums and three wins. But even Grand Prix fanatics from that era would struggle to recognise him now.

Frentzen recently uploaded a social media video of himself go-karting with his friends. But the clean shaven babyface-look that signified his time in F1 has been swapped for a bushy black and grey beard.

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And in an interview with Beyond the Grid, Frentzen reflected on his his F1 career and how his life would have been different had he landed the title: “I was a bit sad when I stopped (retired) in 2003 because I wasn’t happy how I finished,” he said. “But then after a while, I thought I’d just escaped a bad accident at Canada in ’99, so be happy and take it as it is.”

Told the points system used in the modern day would have crowned him champion, he reflected: “Somebody sent me a message about that and calculated it. If I would have won the world championship, that would be a completely different life for me afterwards.”

Frentzen would continue in motorsport until 2008, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He finished 16th with the Aston Martin Racing team.