It was obvious the Italian had what it takes in F1 from very early in his career, and now, after his fifth season, he has established himself as one of the fastest drivers in the sport.

His performances were strong enough to make team owner Eddie Jordan question Frentzen's performances, a process that ended in the German being sacked.

Still, though, Trulli does not get the credit his scintillating qualifying performances seem to deserve.

Perhaps this is because so high were hopes for this friendly little guy who looks like a cross between Ayrton Senna and 1970s Ipswich winger Eric Gates that some were a little disappointed with his performances in 2000, his first year at Jordan.

No-one, though, was more disappointed than Trulli. He drove superbly at times in 2000, taking front-row grid positions in Monaco and Spa, two of the most demanding circuits in F1.

But time and again he was let down by the poor reliability of his car, and he often gave the impression of being close to heartbreak.

The bad luck and poor reliability has continued into 2001, and Trulli remains a frustrated man whenever his car lets him down.

There are those who believe he takes these things to heart just a little too much, that he does not handle the downs that are inevitable in a sporting career as well as he might.

One could, though, turn that view on its head and say that it demonstrates a man with a single-minded belief in his talent and where it can take him.

That this did not seem to affect his performance in the car bodes well for the future.

Questions remain unanswered - particularly, why does his race speed not match his qualifying pace? Is this because the Jordan eats its tyres, or because Trulli entered races believing he will only be able to achieve so much with it?