One year on and it has now been reported in European press that Toyota is set to make an all-out bid to sign the man from Monchengladbach for next year.

The Japanese car giant will enter Formula One next year and is reportedly on the hunt for experienced talent to bolster its team. Whilst current test driver Mika Salo is understood to be an automatic starter for a race seat, team-mate Alan McNish is not so sure even though he is believed to have a multi-year deal with Toyota. He is likely to end up as their test driver, for 2002 at least.

Frentzen�s current contract expires at the end of this year and he was supposed to sign an extension last Monday, but missed the deadline. He has a strange clause in his contract whereby he has a 24-hour period, after the European Grand Prix, where he can leave the team if he wants to.
However, the re-signing of his contract could have been delayed due to his current medical condition.
Frentzen was sent home from the Canadian Grand Prix nine days ago to undergo medical tests after a high-speed accident in Monaco followed by another two weeks later during opening practice in Montreal and at this stage his participation in the upcoming European Grand Prix remains unconfirmed.

The 34-year-old has been with the Irish team since 1999 and is their highest points scorer in their 11 years of Formula One.
In his career to date, Frentzen has competed in 121 races, scoring three wins (two with Jordan), two pole positions, and six fastest laps. His best Championship finish was second in 1997 but came a close third in 1999 with Jordan.