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Philippe Adams' 1988
Philippe Adams from Wattrelos, France owns a 1988 NA in Monaco white, with a Dark grey leather interior.
Model:
Esprit NA Year: 1988 Colour: Monaco white Interior: Dark grey leather Driving Style: Ex-F1 Grand Prix Driver! Miles per year: 1,000 Owned Since: 2006 Purchase from: Stock coachworks in Chelmsford UK Serviced at: Lotus Thierry Verhiest in Ostend Other Cars: None Previous Lotus': None Why an Esprit: Colin Chapman's concept car.Tthe design and real british supercar. As being an ex- Lotus F1 driver I had to get one!' Upgrades: Cooling fans, Front water radiator and support,front wheel bearings, exhaust support, new front tyres, front lights (eurospec). Problems: no real big problems but always something to sort out. Info: Thanks to LEW for having the best Esprit web of the world.
My Esprit is a 1988 N/A Stevens X180 in Monaco white with dark grey leather. I have owned her since 04/2006 and found her on LEW's advertised Esprit 4 sale. I bought the car to Mark Waite in Chelmsford. A good man. The car has full history with 52000 miles.
The car has been delivered by Bell&Colvill in october 1988. It's funny because 1988 was my first motor racing year. Competing in the British Formula Vauxhall....Lotus
and at my first two races at Thruxton and Silvestone I respectivaly was on front row and Pole Position alongside.........Mika Hakkinen! Coincidence?
I first wanted an N/A S3 Giugiaro for her pure design but Odile (my girlfriend) wanted a Stevens Design so we decided for the X180 shape.
Why a N/A and not a Turbo? I found the 2,2 N/A Engine easier to work on and I enjoyed the sounds and vibrations.
The engine is light and help better handling into corners.Colin Chapman was right saying light is right ... OK It's not as fast as a Turbo but I like it.That's all.
White was my favorite colour as well. She's looking good in white. Not Sharon Stone! My Esprit. Sharon is my Sex Symbol and when I see her driving her white Esprit in Basic Instinct it's Fantasmatic!
I am working as a sales manager for Seat in Tournai( Belgium). She's always with me. At any break time I can't Stop watching or Polishing her and driving her as she's parked in the workshop in safe place.I spend quite much time on LEW's website to get max informations about Esprits maintenance and guide. Congratulations for having the best Esprit Website of the World and I am pride beeing a member.
The Esprit is really rare in Belgium or even in France.Every where I go people are suprised and never heard or seen an Esprit before. So she gets good attention. I can't leave her alone on a carpark.What else can do better successes?
My biggest problem is to find a good Lotus specialist here. They don't know to much about old Esprits so I am thinking to service the car in the UK.
I already made some upgrades such as radiators and radiators supports, wheel bearings, new tyres. B service, new cooling fans, exhaust support........
Racing Career
Adams, Philippe (Bel)
born 19/11/1969 (Mouscron)
Read full Biograhpy here f1rejects.com1981 - Started races Karts
1988 - European Opel Lotus, 31st. GB Vauxhall Lotus, 8th (3rd Thruxton, Silverstone, Donington)
1989 - British F3, 6th. 1 win (Brands), 2nd Silverstone & Birmingham Superprix
1990 - British F3, 6th. 2nd at Brands, Donington
1991 - Japanese F3, 12th. Japanese F3000, Japanese Touring Cars
1992 - British F3 2nd Overall.3 wins.
1993 - British F2 champion. 5 wins (Oulton Park, Silverstone, Brands, Donington, Thruxton)
1994 - 2nd Overall Belgian procar 7 wins out 14 races
1994 - (Lost championship in 24 hours Spa when Engine blowed 6 minutes before end of the race. It was double points)
1995 - Belgian Procars (Audi 80), 66 points, 3rd, 4 wins (2 at Colmarberg, 2 at Zolder): 4th + 6th Spa, 3rd R1&2 Zolder (2nd visit),
1995 - 3rd R1&2 Spa.
1996 - Group N séries 2 races and 2 wins (Spa, Silverstone)
1995 - BPR Global GT Endurance Championship, 2 entries in V de V Vertigo.
1996 - • 1 GT race in Dodge Viper at Dijon.
1996 - • International Group N Series in BMW M3.
1997 - International GR. N séries 2nd Overall.3 wins (Maggione,Spa,Salzburgring) BMW M3.
1998 - Veedol Long-Distance Cup, numerous class victories in BMW 318ti Compact.
1999 - Nurburgring 24hr race in East Belgian Racing BMW M3.
1996 - • Vallelunga Silver Cup 6hr race in BMW M3.
1996 - • Celebrity events in Belgium.
2000 - Veedol Long-Distance Cup in Ferrari F355. 4 class wins
Lotus Confirms Philippe Adams
For immediate release 22 August 1994
Team Lotus are pleased to confirm that rising Belgian star Philippe Adams will compete for the team during the forthcoming Belgian Grand Prix. 24 year old Philippe had his first taste of Formula One power during a two day test session at Silverstone earlier in the week, when he completed 66 laps of the Grand Prix circuit.Peter Collins
Managing Director:
" Philippe will be competing at Spa-Francorchamps for Team Lotus, and I am pleased to have given him not only his first run in a Formula One car, but the opportunity to compete in his home Grand Prix. " Philippe was comfortable with the 107C during recent testing at Silverstone and acclimatised himself well to the car. He will also be racing for Team Lotus at Estoril and Jerez."Philippe Adams:
" I am very excited about competing in my first Grand Pric. It is exactly ten years since I started my motor-racing career, and things have come such a long way since then in what seems such a short space of time!" I had no problems with the power of the Lotus when I tested earlier in the week. What I found most difficult was to know the limit of the car - where to change gear and brake. I was happy with my performance as I was able to improve the car very consistently by continual work on the set-up." It was also good for me to get a run in the wet as I am sure these will be the weather conditions in Spa-Francorchamps at the weekend!"Philippe Adams
Date of birth 19 November 1969
Lives Mouscron, Belgium
Nationality Belgian
Marital Status Married to Christine, one son AxelPhilippe started his racing career in karts in 1981, age 14, and continued in karts until progressing to the European Opel Lotus Championship in 1988. He then competed in the British Formula Three Championship for two seasons, finishing in sixth place in the series on both occasions. In 1991 Philippe moved to Japan to take part in the Japanese Formula Three Championship, finishing 12th overall. He also made guest appearances in the Japanese Formula 3000 and Touring Car Championships. Philippe moved back to England to contest the 1992 British Formula Three Championship, finishing second in the series, and the 1993 British Formula Two Championship, which he won dominantly. Philippe currently leads the Belgian Touring Car Championship having won 5 of the 9 races to date, with 5 rounds remaining.
Spa-Francorchamps Race Information
Grand Prix Belgian Grand Prix - Round 11
Circuit Spa-Francorchamps
Date Sunday 28 August 1994Johnny Herbert 13th
Philippe Adams DNFJohnny Herbert:
" At the start I was trying to pass Alboreto but got off line as there wasn't much room, got on the rough stuff and spun.
" My problems started very early in the race. When I braked at the Bus Stop it didn't feel very good and I had to pump the brake. At La Source it was even worse and I locked the front wheels and went straight on. I came in and the mechanics thought that they had solved a problem with the brakes, but when I went back out the retardation wasn't too good.
" After the first stop it felt as if the clutch had gone and I wasn't getting any downchanges, and the upchanges kept retrying automatically. Eventually, towards the end of the race the exhaust broke, but I managed to bring the car home."
Philippe Adams:
" I had one spin when Gounon lost control in front of me and there was no room to pass, so I lost a bit of time.
" Quicker cars were overtaking me and I didn't want to disturb their race. I was approaching the very quick left hander at Pouhon on lap 17 but there was oil on the track and I spun. It is very disappointing. The only consolation that I have this weekend is winning the Procar race yesterday."Peter Collins:
" It's a great pity that Johnny has his problem with the brakes, because we managed to get a good set-up on his car despite the lack of practice. He was lapping consistently quicker than all of the midfield runners, including Morbidelli, who finished seventh.
" Philippe was unlucky. He was the innocent party when Gounon spun at Eau Rouge, and later, when he spun himself, he was being sensible trying to keep out of the way of quicker cars.
" We are now looking forward to further intensive test work with our revised car and engine, which gave us cause for great encouragement during the first trials at Silverstone last week."
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