Nelson Philippe

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Nelson Philippe
Nationality	French
Champ Car #	34
Current team	Conquest Racing
Race starts	40
Series Championships	0
Wins	1
Podium finishes	3
Pole positions	0
First Champ Car race	2004 Grand Prix of Long Beach
Last Champ Car race	2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach	edit

Nelson Philippe (born July 23, 1986 in Valence, Drôme, France) is a race car driver currently racing in the Champ Car World Series.

Philippe raced go-karts from 1998-2002. In 2003, he raced in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, finishing the season with one podium, and four top five finishes.

With just one year of experience in cars, Philippe tested with two Champ Car teams, before signing with Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing team. At 17, he became the youngest driver to ever race in Champ Car.

Through the first five races of the 2004 season, Philippe generally stayed out of trouble but usually ran at the back of the pack. Philippe was abruptly dropped from the Rocketsports team before the Molson Indy Toronto. After sitting out several races, Philippe rejoined the series later in the year for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing. In 2005, he continued to race for the Conquest team alongside fellow teenager Andrew Ranger. Philippe made a total of 19 starts for Eric Bachelart's Conquest Racing in 2004 and 2005. Although he struggled with consistency, Phillippe often qualified and ran mid-pack, outpacing the more highly regarded Ranger towards the end of the year. While driving for Conquest in 2005, Philippe was voted by his peers as the Bosch Most Improved Driver in the Series, and won the award in 2006 as well.

For the 2006 season, Philippe moved to CTE-HVM Racing and earned his first podium finishes at Milwaukee and Montreal before claiming his first victory at Surfers Paradise. With his victory at Surfers Paradise, Philippe became the youngest winner in Champ Car World Series history, and again being awarded most improved driver in 2006. However, this success was not enough to find Philippe a drive in 2007, whose current financial climate stipulates that most drivers must bring money to the team to race, something Philippe has refused to do after his 2006 success.

But on October 3, 2007 it was announced that Nelson Philippe the popular French driver will return to Champ Car and drive for his former team, Conquest Racing. Philippe will defend his title at Surfers Paradise, Australia in the blue and white livery of Australian based Juniper Property Development Group. Additionally, the 21-year-old Philippe will compete in the Champ Car season finale in Mexico City in November. "I'm thrilled to be back, and no better time than now with Surfers Paradise around the corner [October 21]," said Philippe, who earned his first career Win in Australia last year. "It's been a challenge to be sidelined this year, but things happen for a reason and right now it's full steam ahead for Australia and Mexico." Despite having sat out the entire season, Philippe qualified a respectable 13th and then recorded an even more respectable sixth-place finish at Surfers Paradise.

"Even though the results may not show it, it was probably one of the best races of my career," said Philippe. "We were very consistent throughout the entire race and able to post fast lap times. Unfortunately, our strategy didn't completely pay off for us in the end. I'm very pleased with the Conquest team, sixth may not be the best result, but we have to be realistic and remember it was my first weekend back. We finished ahead of a lot of guys who have been racing all season. I was able to make some good passes and the team gave me a very good race car."

In the season finale at Mexico City, Philippe again qualified 13th, but was one of three cars that stalled at the start. He was able to get the car going and ultimately finished in 12th position, a lap down to the leaders.

"I feel absolutely gutted, this was not the result that we were hoping for," Philippe said after the race. "It's a tough way to virtually start and finish my season. Next year I am hoping to compete the entire year again and with more preparation I should be at the front."

"We underestimated the task of Nelson being away from the Champ Car competition for most of the season and being on top again for the last two races," Bachelart added. "After his exciting debut in Australia the other day where he finished sixth, we set up a higher goal for Mexico City and we missed it. However, we all believe that he did an excellent job and we enjoy working together again. With more preparation, I have no doubt that we will be able to run up front."

Nelsone Phillipe returned to race with Minardi/HVM Racing in the 2008 Long Beach Grand Prix. This was the final Champ Car World Series race after the merger with the Indy Racing League. He gave tribute to the series that made his career wearing a race suit with past and present Champ Car logos and "Thank you Champ Car staff and fans" inscribed on the back. He finished 15th in the race.

Philippe’s younger brother, Richard Philippe, races in the F3 Euroseries.

[edit] Motorsports Career Results

[edit] American Open-Wheel

[edit] Champ Car

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest race lap)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Team	Rank	Points
2004	Rocketsports	LBH 13	MTY 10	MIL 14	POR 15	CLE 10	TOR DNP	VAN DNP	ROA DNP	DEN 13	MON Ret	LAG Ret	LAS 9	SUR 10	MEX 16	Conquest	16th	89
2005	Conquest	LBH 18	MTY Ret	MIL 12	POR 12	CLE 13	TOR 10	EDM 9	SAN Ret	DEN 9	MON 15	LAS Ret	SUR Ret	MEX 7		Conquest	13th	117
2006	CTE-HVM	LBH Ret	HOU 4	MTY Ret	MIL 3	POR 8	CLE 10	TOR Ret	EDM Ret	SAN 4	DEN 5	MON 3	ROA 14	SUR 1	MEX 7	CTE-HVM	4th	231
2007	Conquest	LAS	LBH	HOU	POR	CLE	MTT	TOR	EDM	SAN	ROA	ZOL	ASS	SUR 6	MEX 12	Conquest	19th	28