Frentzen aiming for top three place

The team has been demoted from third behind McLaren and Ferrari by Williams' resurgence with BMW engines.

Frentzen and team-mate Jarno Trulli have finished in the top six only four
times in 10 starts - and now Williams is third in the constructors table with
15 points, and Jordan are six behind.

Frentzen, 32 on Thursday, qualified on pole last year at the Nurburgring and led for 32 laps before retiring with an electrical fault.

"McLaren and Ferrari should be very strong there, but we want to be right up behind them.

"And if they make a mistake we will be ready to take up the challenge and pass them.

"I have very vivid memories of last year's race. Putting the car on pole in perhaps the most exciting qualifying session of the whole season was one of our many highlights of 1999.

"We led up to half distance only to be deprived of the big prize. We lived through the true definition of a roller-coaster weekend."

He may be racing in his native Germany for the first time this season, but admits the Nurburging - described by some as a go-kart circuit - is not top of his hit list.

"It is not one of my favourites, but it does have some fine qualities. It's safe and is one of the best for spectators."