26 replies to this topic

[nigel5]

I read on internet that Geoff Lees was test driver of Williams in 1987.

Does anyone have information about that ?
Futhermore, I am looking for PICtureS of him driving the Williams, if that information is right.

From an over point, for a long time, I am looking for PICtureS of Goeff driving a JPS Lotus during one race in 1982.
Anybody can help me ?

Thanks a lot.

[maxie]

http://8w.forix.com/lees.html

Lees in a Lotus, at Paul Ricard '82, subbing for Nigel Mansell.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Originally posted by nigel5
I read on internet that Goeff Lees was test driver of Williams in 1987 .

It is true, Geoff did extensive testing at Suzuka, Japan during 1987, but this was Honda development work, so maybe it would be more correct to say that he was a Honda test driver.

Williams handed over a '86 car (FW11) for this development duty. Geoff was Japan based at that time so it was convenient for him to do this work. Kazuyoshi Hoshino also took part in this work during 1987.

Sorry no pics... this nature of work at the Honda owned track was more or less 'secret' so I doubt that not too many pics are to be found.

[nigel5]

Thanks Rainer .

Have you got some great pictures about Goeff and the Formula 1... in race and in test ?

If you want, I possess a picture of him driving a RAMWilliams at Watkins Glen in 1980.

Does Goeff Lees has test for another team than Honda-Williams ?

Regards

[WGD706]

His last Formula 1 outing was at Paul Ricard in 1982 (July 25th) for Lotus, qualified 24th, finished 12th. He was a stand-in for Nigel Mansell, who decided that his wrist was not properly healed from an accident he had at the Canadian GP (June 13th) when he collided with Giacomelli and broke his wrist.
What he had been doing up to this point to be noticed by Lotus, I don't know.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Originally posted by WGD706
What he had been doing up to this point to be noticed by Lotus, I don't know.

Some background available here : http://8w.forix.com/lees.html as pointed out by maxie.

Due to his Japanese commitments, I think it was hard for Geoff to test for Euro-based GP teams.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by WGD706
What he had been doing up to this point to be noticed by Lotus, I don't know.

European F2 Champion in 1981, beating the likes of Alboreto, Thackwell, Acheson, Johansson, Boutsen (I think)...a great lost talent in my opinion and well worthy of an F1 drive. I wonder what would have happened had Mansell not been fit for the British GP? Points would have been on the cards. But after missing out in 1981 thanks to Bastardestre, no way was Our Noige going to miss out again...

[Melco Hairpin]

Hello,

When I was a child, I was a fan of Geoff Lees a man who seemed very nice and kind.
Today, I would like to have a contact with him. No FaceBook, no MySpace, so does someone can help me and know how to reach him today ?
Thanks a lot

[Bob Amblard]

Originally posted by Melco Hairpin
Hello,

When I was a child, I was a fan of Geoff Lees a man who seemed very nice and kind.
Today, I would like to have a contact with him. No FaceBook, no MySpace, so does someone can help me and know how to reach him today ?
Thanks a lot

Very good question
I would like to have the answer too.

[renzobalbo]

I am searching frontal images of the Geoff Lees s Mario Deliotti Racing Ensign 177
I'm talking about 1978 British GP pratice.
Thank you of the great aid, knowing your passion and experience

[Giraffe]

Originally posted by renzobalbo
I am searching frontal images of the Geoff Lees s Mario Deliotti Racing Ensign 177
I'm talking about 1978 British GP pratice.
Thank you of the great aid, knowing your passion and experience

Sorry, no photo, but for interest, here's a sticker off my clipboard!

[renzobalbo]

Many thanks Giraffe , an appreciate contribution

[ghinzani]

Lees and Hoshino were both mentioned for a third Williams at Suzuka in 87. After Mansell shunted early doors Im surprised one of them didnt get drafted in. They surely would have done a better job than the lacklustre Piquet there and in the final race at Adelaide. Lacklustre and Piquet such a good combination and one thats springing to peoples lips once more thankfully.

[Vicuna]

I always thought he was underrated

[simonlewisbooks]

Originally posted by Vicuna
I always thought he was underrated

So did I. Look at who he was beating in European and then Japanese F2 , F3000 and also at Macau and you have to say the guy was a huge talent behind the wheel.
I think his problem was partly in being mild mannered and unobtrusive out of the cockpit, and partly bad timing - little sponsorship opportunity for a British driver in those day thanks to the country being in financial ruins .... blimey that sounds despressingly familiar!

Learning the lessons of history, eh Gordon?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by simonlewisbooks




Learning the lessons of history, eh Gordon?

Yeah but to be quite correct Geoff made his debut in Germany in 79 by which time the Tories were in charge and his European Championship win came at a time when Maggie was the least popular dictator, sorry leader since the War and we were deep in a recession. Even when we came out of recession in the mid 80's no British drivers really got into F1 solely on sponsorship, even Dumfries had talent. Actually the good Doctor has sponsorship from his rich friends and a talent far less than his own perception, but we didnt have the renta drivers the other countries seemed to have. Even our own rich kids like Gary Evans or later Christian Horner never got into F1 because their economic power (despite a Tory MP Dad in Evans case) was not sufficient to buy the the seats that other rich kids from abroad got.

[simonlewisbooks]

Originally posted by ghinzani


Yeah but to be quite correct Geoff made his debut in Germany in 79 by which time the Tories were in charge

True but that was on the back of the infamous 'winter of discontent' in 78-9 which had helped pitch the country into deep decline. The financial climate was already very poor when the election occured, and was one of the reason why it occured. The money-making ethic of the mid-late 80s was still a long way off in 1979.

[Andretti Fan]

Didn't Lees marry a Japanese woman and live there for a number of years?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Andretti Fan
Didn't Lees marry a Japanese woman and live there for a number of years?

Thats correct, and won the 83 Japanese F2 title in a March Honda for Ikuzawa if memory serves me correctly.

[dnhrudi]

Heavily involved in the Japanese sportscar culture after he finished his single seater career there (in the early 90s) I read somewhere that he remains resident in Japan

[Gabrci]

Originally posted by dnhrudi
Heavily involved in the Japanese sportscar culture after he finished his single seater career there (in the early 90s) I read somewhere that he remains resident in Japan

I don't know much about where he lives and used to live, but I know that in the last few years he's been living in England.

[Giraffe]

I can report that Geoff Lees has remarried (his first wife sadly succumbing to cancer in Japan), and returned to the UK in the middle of last year. He currently resides not far from Silverstone and I visited him at his home yesterday.

 

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

 

He tells me that he has driven more miles testing for Honda in F1 than any other driver, as far as he is aware.

[Charlieman]

Thank you, Giraffe.

[alansart]

I'm not sure what Giraffe was explaining but Geoff's keeping his hands in his pockets   

My apologies for the photo quality. Flash was turned off and Stoneleigh is a bit dark in places.

 

[Nemo1965]

I met Geoff Lees when he did tyre-tests for Lotus at Zandvoort. Must have been 1981 or 1982... Nice chap. At the time I found him just as modest as the other up and coming British driver, Nigel Mansell... (Yeah, times change and Mansell certainly did too).

[Marc Sproule]

for those who might be interested, there are a number of pics of geoff in the can am cars he drove for vds....

 

https://www.flickr.c...57644236743408/

 

all my albums/sets

 

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/

[Nemo1965]

for those who might be interested, there are a number of pics of geoff in the can am cars he drove for vds....

 

https://www.flickr.c...57644236743408/

 

all my albums/sets

 

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/

 

Very nice! The other pics are great too!