In a method, motorsports followers have watched Lia Block develop up earlier than their eyes. Because the daughter of famed wheelman Ken Block, she made her first on-camera look on the age of 13 (studying do donuts, after all), in a YouTube clip that drew greater than three million views.
However since her father’s tragic passing in January of 2023, she’s established herself as a cross-series racing star in her personal proper. She received the two-wheel-drive class of final 12 months’s American Rally Affiliation championship, competed the world over in Excessive E and Nitrocross, and even received the Professional Inventory UTV class of the Baja 1000 alongside her mother, Lucy.
“Actually, it’s been such an journey—daily is one thing totally different,” says the 17-year-old Block, nonetheless filled with vitality regardless of a busy journey schedule. This 12 months, she’s tackling a complete new sort of journey, having signed with Williams Racing as its F1 Academy entry. It is a large change from the off-road racing she grew up on, and one which hasn’t been mild. She had solely a pair weeks to acclimate to open-wheel racing—by no means thoughts the Williams automotive particularly—earlier than F1 Academy’s season-opening races in Jeddah in March.
“It’s been a really steep studying curve to get to that first race in Jeddah, however I’m having a blast,” she says.
Forward of this weekend’s F1 Academy race in Miami, Motorsport sat down with Block to talk about her whirlwind 12 months, the difficulties of open-wheel racing, and the pressures of being a younger driver in a social-media-obsessed world.
Was System 1 and open-wheel racing at all times in your radar as one thing you wished strive?
I grew up watching F1. Me and my dad would sit down and watch each time a race was on, however it’s at all times been an unknown space for me as a result of I grew up in rally. [It was] at all times one thing I wished to do however by no means had the chance. To have this opportunity is absolutely, actually cool. Form of like a lottery ticket for me.
I’ve completed loads within the American rally scene, successful the championship. And whereas I do know the subsequent step for myself [there], I need to go do this. It is a trial 12 months to see if I like it sufficient to cease doing rally and rallycross—which is a giant and daunting factor, to depart one thing I do know so properly behind. We’ll see the place it takes me.
How has it been adapting to open-wheel racing?
Actually, it’s been fairly onerous. At first, I assumed it was going to be a bit simpler than it really was. It’s a totally totally different motorsport, and I knew nothing about it. I did a little bit of karting after I was a child however nothing to the extent of my opponents after they had been youthful. The problem is what excites me essentially the most. Not being good at one thing going into it makes me need it that rather more.
Each race is new—I’ve by no means competed on any of those tracks or in opposition to any of those women. So it’s actually only a large studying 12 months for me, and I’m taking each bit of data that I can.
Lia Block racing in F1 Academy at Jeddah in March.
And racing at Williams means you’ve received a storied staff behind you. Plus I hear you’ll be driving the FW08 from the ’80s on the upcoming Goodwood Competition of Velocity.
I’m very, very excited to be a part of the Williams staff and the historical past they’ve. To drive that iconic piece of historical past at Goodwood goes to be so loopy. I’m a bit nervous to drive this very costly, outdated automotive, however to have the ability to say I drove an F1 automotive at 17 years outdated is certainly actually thrilling.
And it’ll be a Goodwood I really bear in mind! I’ve been just a few instances with my dad, however I used to be too younger.
As a teenage driver within the F1 orbit, you’re extraordinarily energetic on social media. Is there loads of strain to take care of that on-line presence?
Yeah, social media presence is absolutely large now. I used to be grateful to have my dad, who knew a lot about advertising and marketing from proudly owning his firm. I skilled that from a younger age and noticed how totally different he did it in comparison with his opponents. Going ahead, it’s undoubtedly one of many largest elements of motorsport, and having an excellent social media presence could make or break a contract.
It’s fairly onerous. And actually, if I might simply be a racecar driver and never have to fret about that, it’d be a dream. However with the brand new era, it’s solely going to get larger and greater, and it in the end places so many eyes on the game, similar to with Drive to Survive. I feel we’ll even be seeing [more social media] with rally and rallycross.
Block prepping for a stint
You’ve even dipped your toe within the trend world a bit. Is that one thing you need to proceed?
Rising up—this sounds humorous—however I at all times wished to be an actor. I’m fascinated by modeling and appearing. It’s so cool that somebody like Lewis Hamilton has introduced the style world into the motorsports world, merging them collectively. It’s enjoyable to have a persona off the monitor in addition to on. So it’s one thing I’d love to do extra.
Talking of Lewis, there’s a very cool video of him and your dad racing in opposition to one another of their respective vehicles at a High Gear competition a couple of decade in the past.
I’ve seen that!
A number of F1 guys clearly cherished watching your dad. Has there been loads of assist for you and the Block identify within the paddock?
Yeah, I feel so. Now it’s simply attempting to make my very own profession, go a special path and my very own method. Having his assist, and the folks that knew him, feels very nice. The entire motorsports world is sort of a large household.
