David Thieme, great character of Lotus Essex, has passed away
David Thieme died at the age of 83 on August 12, 2025. He had entered Formula 1 with his Essex oil company, appearing on the bodywork of Lotus cars.
« As expected, David Thieme, Mr. Essex, the sponsor of Lotus and Porsche in the early 80s, passed away at the age of 83 », announced the legendary Formula 1 photographer, Bernard Asset.
David Thieme had a rather discreet entrance as a character in Formula 1, but was notable as a sponsor. In the 1980s, the Lotus cars dropped their John Player Special livery to sport that of the oil trader Essex.
Friend with Colin Chapman
His goal was to win all the greatest races in the world. To achieve this, he poured enormous sums of money into motorsport. During a meeting with Colin Chapman in Monaco in 1978, the two men quickly hit it off, and the company’s colors ended up on the cars of the British genius.
The association with Lotus was such that a limited series of Lotus Esprit was marketed with the company’s colors. David Thieme’s money even allowed two Porsches to be entered in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans. Neither car even made it to the finish.
Wanting to display a certain financial ease and his wealth, he had purchased brand-new equipment for Colin Chapman’s Formula 1 team for astronomical sums. But the delusions of grandeur did not last as an oil crisis brought him back to earth.
In 1981, he was arrested in Switzerland for tax fraud at Credit Suisse. After a stint in prison, he was released and remained very discreet until his death on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
« I quite liked the character besides the fact that he allowed me, as well as many other journalists, to experience unforgettable festive moments. He was certainly a rogue in business, but his generosity and simplicity were unmatched », says Bernard Asset.
