When the LMP3 category was launched by the ACO four chassis manufacturers were unveiled – Ligier, Norma, Ginetta and Adess. Ginetta won the first LMP3 title in the ELMS in 2015 but after that the Ligier and Norma, which later became Duqueine, became the choice for the teams racing in LMP3 in both the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup.
Adess has been seen on the grid a couple of times over the past ten years but mainly as a one-off entry at the Road To Le Mans.
With the launch of the new LMP3 regulation in 2025, there was an opportunity for Adess to take up the challenge once more.Adess has joined the MLMC grid for a full season for the first time, with a pair of AD25s run by 2021 MLMC Champions Nielsen Racing.
We caught up with Adess CEO Stéphane Chosse and 2021 MLMC Champion Colin Noble to discuss the new car.
Q: What have been the main challenges in developing the car?
Stéphane Chosse: “We started the development of the car in July last year in Estoril. We planned to run the car on many tracks and to go step by step in the development to try to fix the reliability first.We found the car was immediately reliable, which is also thanks also to the power train, which itself is reliable.
“We decided first to understand and to learn. What have we done wrong in the past in the previous version; to address customer wishes and things like that. So, our attention was to try to understand what we need to be back and to play in the pack.
“So the main challenge for this version of the car was the cooling, we had to provide more cooling for the engine.If we go back 10 years, the Nissan VK50 required 130 kilowatts of cooling. The next one, the VK56, required 170 kilowatts and this one from Toyota requires 230 kilowatts.
“So, it's almost double compared to the first generation of cooling and this is why we needed some space in the side pod in order to address the cooling requirement. Also in this car, you do not have a separate oil cooler, the water cools the oil in this car. The cooling architecture is very different and this is the main challenge for this car.”
Q: Why has you've entered the LMP3 category this season? What has changed this year to bring the first full season entry from Adess with Nielsen Racing?
SC: “The new generation LMP3 car opens up an opportunity for the teams as well. Unfortunately, this year, we are not in the ELMS. The target is still to be in the ELMS, but we are happy to be in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. What has changed is when you have a regulation change, opportunities are created.
“We have done a lot of testing, and the car is performing.We will find some more pace during the next events but the most important thing is the car is reliable, and we are very happy to work with Nielsen Racing. Nielsen is a team that has got already the experience and the results. It is a perfect opportunity to work with them.”
Q: What's the relationship like? How much support are you giving Nielsen Racing this year?
SC: “They are the team, but we will support them as much as we can with technical support, spare parts and advice.
“Just to try to maximise the performance, because it's still a challenge for a new car to step into the championship. We should not underestimate the level in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. We are exchanging data. Nielsen also finished the development of the car with us, and we have done multiple tests with them in Paul Ricard and Barcelona in February and March. So, this was key to start the relationship.
Q: It's the first time we've ever had all four manufacturers competing against each other in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.What would be a good result for you at the end of the season, bearing in mind how competitive this championship is?
SC:“We have done 7000km of testing and we almost had no reliability issue. I hope we continue like that, and we don't have reliability issues. We have a great team and some great driver combination who have got a lot of experience of this championship. So, if we are in the mid pack, it looks like it's a lack of ambition, but that’s not at all. It's just I am a very pragmatic person.
“The target for us is to enjoy being in the paddock here in the Michelin Le Mans Cup and to develop the car to its full potential. We are happy to be back as a manufacturer and we hope also to expand in the future with some more cars.”
So, what is the new Adess AD25 like to drive? We asked 2021 MLMC Champion Colin Noble, who is driving the no7 Adess-Toyota for Nielsen Racing this season.
Colin Noble: “We’ve still got a long way to go but the initial impressions are very good with the new Adess AD25. There’s a lot of scope in the car and it’s now up to myself and Nielsen to optimise it and maximise the performance.”
“For the Toyota engine, the biggest difference is there is very little engine braking now compared to the Nissan, which had a lot of engine braking for the corners. With the turbo engine it is a lot more ‘revy’ and there is a freewheeling sensation going into the corners, which is the biggest difference from the driver’s point of view. Overall, the power delivery is very strong.”
