Adolff was born in Stuttgart, Germany, into a family that owned a textile company, and served as a paratrooper during the Second World War. Adolff competed in Formula Two races in the early 1950s racing BMW-engined cars, achieving modest success including second place at a race at the Munich-Riem Airport. He later competed in a Ferrari 500 during 1953, and participated in the 1953 German Grand Prix, driving Rudi Fischer's Ferrari 500 for the Ecurie Espadon Team. He retired after only a few laps, and left single-seater racing to concentrate on his business interests. Adolff later enjoyed some success in hillclimbs and touring car racing with Jaguar, and also served as a consul to Chile.