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Philippe Adams


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#1 HistoryFan

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 13:02

I have three questions about Philippe Adams, former F1 driver:

1) Can you tell me something about the character of this guy?

2) He won the British F2 championship in 1993. He first drove with Madgwick, but then there was a dispute between him and his team. What was the matter there? I heard (rejects.com) that Adams later has lots of problems because of the argument with Madgwick and he had to give his own street car because of that disput.

3) rejects.com also writes about Philippe Adams' father had a lot of companies. Which ones? And that the companies' health was not the best. More details?


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#2 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 17:10

I have three questions about Philippe Adams, former F1 driver:

1) Can you tell me something about the character of this guy?


1) Nice, very grounded guy, who probably could've done without the F1 drive in retrospect, or certainly the timing of the F1 drive. Seems quite philosophical and realistic about his career and knows he wasn't the best racing driver ever and the Lotus seat was not right for him or the team. Seems much happier out of the sport and enjoys working - and selling - cars.

#3 Gabrci

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 20:08

I have to completely agree with Richie (as ever), he is a very nice guy and very proud of his F1 drive, even though he perfectly knows it was a step too far. I once contacted him about something and he replied in detail and also said that if I ever happen to be in the are he lives in, I'm very welcome to visit him. A really pleasant person who never fails to mention his beloved wife.

#4 HistoryFan

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 20:23

Thank you.

How can I contact him per mail?

#5 Gabrci

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 20:29

Check you PMs please.

#6 HistoryFan

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 21:13

Thank you.
It works:)

#7 Thundersports

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 22:15

I can only echo what Ritchie wrote; a really nice guy who's foray in to F1 was a step too far.

#8 ensign14

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 22:23

He seemed to spend quite a while in British F3, with a Barclay-coloured helmet IIRC. Maybe it was too quick a leap into F1, but if you've got a budget for a drive and a superlicence then at least you can make sure you're an F1 driver rather than rack up F3k podia. Probably better from his perspective to do that, if he was never going to set the world alight in an F1 career.

Where does the name Adams come from? It doesn't look very Belgian.

#9 Chris Townsend

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 23:14

He seemed to spend quite a while in British F3, with a Barclay-coloured helmet IIRC. Maybe it was too quick a leap into F1, but if you've got a budget for a drive and a superlicence then at least you can make sure you're an F1 driver rather than rack up F3k podia. Probably better from his perspective to do that, if he was never going to set the world alight in an F1 career.

Where does the name Adams come from? It doesn't look very Belgian.


I remember a Belgian guy called Johan? Adams, running a new Van Diemen, with decent sponsorship, in British FF in 1980 or thereabouts?
I agree that the name Adams is not very Belgian; did Philippe have an older brother though?


#10 scheivlak

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Posted 02 January 2011 - 23:50

Where does the name Adams come from? It doesn't look very Belgian.

It's not a very uncommon name in Belgium. A quick search brings us e.g. quite a few cyclists though mostly Flemish, while I guess Philippe is a Walloon.

Intriguing little article at http://nieuwsblad.ty...ippe-adams.html - in short:
Philippe is selling Seat cars these days. According to himself he's the best Seat salesman in the area, but they don't recognise him as such. "I'm better at selling Seats than selling myself", he says cynically. "Even Seat don't use me, while they know me and are active in the WTCC. But that's typically Belgian, instead of promoting me they are putting me down."
"Look at me. I drove F1, I reached the top. But I only got criticized, I was a fils-à-papa and got the money because Guy Mathot (a Belgian Minister from the Walloon Socialist Party-scheivlak), my substitute father, had arranged that. Nothing of that is true. I asked a loan of 250.000 euros from a bank. As a person, with my father's house as a bail. By insurance and by borrowing I recovered 170.000 euros. I had to work ten years to make the rest of the money. By working, like everybody else."

(......)
"I've drawn my conclusions. I married a French woman and live in France. "No thanks" to Belgian mentality. And to all the people who are criticizing me I will tell: Lotus organised an anniversary recently. Who did they invite? This guy. Even though I drove only in two races. Which was as agreed upon, as I only had a budget for those two.'

Edited by scheivlak, 02 January 2011 - 23:52.


#11 vekspeed

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Posted 03 January 2011 - 14:04

3) rejects.com also writes about Philippe Adams' father had a lot of companies. Which ones? And that the companies' health was not the best. More details?

One of the sponsors on his 1990 F3 car was 'ADAMS HOUSE' I assume this would have been one of these companies?


#12 bigears

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Posted 03 January 2011 - 18:33

Some decent information of Philippe Adams in here:

http://www.lotusespr...lippeAdams.html

I noticed one error, he never raced at the Birmingham Superprix in 1989 unless I am missing something?

#13 HistoryFan

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Posted 03 January 2011 - 19:54

Thank you @ all.

Interesting to remember drivers like Adams...

#14 BenR

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 02:06

I know this is an old post but wondered has anyone got contact details for him? Does he still work for seat? I am trying to add his autograph to a collection am building for my son