The unrelenting ambition is reminiscent of Helmut Marko and his unforgiving Red Bull Junior programme. Adams can foresee himself setting up a similar academy for promising Israelis.
“I look at this and I say it’s probably premature for me to talk academies and other things but certainly my track record speaks to wanting to develop the sports or activity I’m involved in and to provide opportunity for the youth of Israel,” he says.
“Why shouldn’t we have an academy that generates a pipeline of drivers leading to further success? We have this special case called Roy Nissany, I’m looking at him as possibly an aspirational figure for kids today who are looking at him.”
Nissany approached Adams last year to ask for help in his career, after a 2018 F2 campaign with Campos that the driver describes as “a bit messy in many aspects” and a break in 2019 following a training injury.
“It is quite a coincidence that [we are] three Canadians – we are not really known as a powerhouse in motorsport.”
He tested for Williams in Abu Dhabi last year and was announced as test driver in January. He will drive for Trident in Formula 2 this year.
“Roy is a special talent,” says Adams. “Williams tested him and they came away so impressed with two things: his actual driving skill and his communication skills. His feedback that he was giving to the engineers about the car – he did it in the simulator, he did it in the car in Abu Dhabi – they were really really impressed. They basically told me they hadn’t seen a young driver with that kind of poise and cerebral understanding and communication skills to give them back this kind of feedback
“I’m super-excited. For me it was validation hearing the engineers of Williams talk about Roy and extolling his qualities and virtues. I had a notion that he was pretty good and now I really am extremely confident I think this kid is going places.”
Adams says Nissany can win a world championship with Williams
Williams
Adams said that he was drawn to Williams by the non-corporate, family atmosphere, rather than any nostalgia about becoming involved in the team that delivered Jacques Villeneuve the only world championship for a Canadian driver.
“My thing is Israel. If somebody had come to me with another driver from France or Japan or wherever, that would not have interested me at all,” he says, acknowledging that his fellow Canadians have a deeper interest in motor racing.
“Lawrence Stroll is a car racing fanatic and always has been all his life so his son is fulfilling his personal dream. For him to actually own a team and have his son race for that team, I would imagine is deeply, deeply satisfying.
“In the case of Nicholas Latifi, I know his father Michael Latifi. Again, there’s a long-standing support of his son that he had for many many years.
“It is quite a coincidence that [we are] three Canadians – we are not really known as a powerhouse in motorsport. I find it a very serendipitous one. We will be able to compare notes and have a friendly competition between us Canadians and see who will ultimately prevail — I like my pick.”