Date of birth 30th
June 1975
Birthplace Huerth, Germany
Nationality German
Lives Monte Carlo, Monaco
Marital status Single
Height 1.78m (5' 11")
Weight 73 kg
Hobbies Karting, tennis, cycling
and playing Backgammon
Favourite food Pasta
Favourite drink Apple juice with
mineral water
First drove a kart At the age of
three
First drove a car At the age of 18
in a borrowed BMW Alpina B10 Biturbo
First car race June 1992 in the BMW
ADAC Formula Junior, Norisring, Nuremberg (D)
First racing car BMW ADAC Formula
Junior
First win Kart club race at the age
of six
Career Highlights
1991 First in the NRW Kart Trophy;
1992 Second in the German Kart Championship;
Second in his first car race,
BMW ADAC Formula Junior, Norisring (D)
1993 Second in the BMW ADAC Formula Junior;
Test drives and first Formula 3 race, Team
WTS
1994 Third in the German Formula 3 Championship
after Jörg Müller (D) and Alexander Wurz (A)
1995 Second in the German Formula 3 Championship
after Norberto Fontana (ARG);
First in the Macao Formula 3 Grand Prix;
Invited by the Le Mans team to test a Formula
Nippon in Suzuka in November, followed by an offer for the 1996 season
1996 First in the All Nippon Japanese F3000
Championship, two wins;
Second in the Japanese GT Championship,
three wins (McLaren F1 GTR powered by a BMW V12);
First Formula One test in Silverstone (McLaren
Mercedes);
Signed contract with the Jordan Team for
the 1997 Formula One World Championship
1997 11th in the FIA Formula One World
Championship, Jordan,
best result third place in Buenos Aires
(ARG)
1998 10th in the FIA Formula One World
Championship, Jordan,
best result second place in Spa (B)
1999 6th in the FIA Formula One World Championship,
WilliamsF1,
best result second place in Monza (I)
2000 5th in the FIA Formula One World Championship,
BMW WilliamsF1 Team,
best results third place in Melbourne (AUS),
Spa (B) and Monza (I)