With an impressive rally resume at only 17 years old, Lia Block joined Williams and ART Grand Prix for her debut in single-seaters. Ahead of F1 Academy’s Miami round, she sat down with Feeder Series to discuss her home race, rally background and the F1 Academy season ahead.  

By Calla Kra-Caskey

Although she’s spent most of her career racing in the United States, round two of F1 Academy – which runs alongside the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix – will be her first time racing in her home country this year. 

“Racing rally in the US has always been my life,” Block told Feeder Series, “But I think it’s a lot different when it comes to an F1 Grand Prix weekend, because there’s for sure a lot of people. And this year, I haven’t had a home grand prix and this will be the only one for me. So it makes it that much more special and to be in front of a home crowd.” 

Block became the first American since Logan Sargeant to be signed to the Williams Driver Academy in late November followed by an announcement that she’d join the F1 Academy grid in 2024. She is joined by fellow American Chloe Chambers, who has followed a more traditional single-seater path. Block believes that interest in racing is rising for both fans and young racers. 

“To be American is quite hard, especially in open single-seater racing because it is all European-based. But I think we’re seeing a bit of a shift because of Drive to Survive in social media nowadays that there’s so much more interest in the US.”

She also mentioned that her family background in rally has helped her assimilate to driving in an international series and working with her European teams. 

“Growing up and travelling the world with my dad when he was racing WRC and World Rallycross, I’ve kind of grown up in so many different cultures and different people from different countries. So it’s been a bit easier for me than maybe a person that would just come from living in the US.” 

It’s unusual to see a career path quite like Block’s. Although she grew up doing some karting, her racing experience is primarily in rally. In 2023, Block became the youngest-ever American Rally Association champion by winning the O2WD category for Block House Racing. She also competed in Nitrocross NEXT and Nitrocross Group E, with a best result of second, and Extreme E, with a best result of fifth. 

Although single-seaters require a different set of skills, Block believes the car control she’s developed will help her in F1 Academy. In rally, “the off-road and loose surface stuff is really important to know where that limit is and to know how far you can go or how fast you can go and find that grip.” 

Describing rally racing as feeling “like home,” Block isn’t ready to pick between the two worlds of racing. But she described the opportunity to join the Williams Racing Driver Academy as “a lottery ticket” too good to pass up on.

“The support they give just gives me a lot of confidence going into this season of F1 Academy, especially them knowing that I don’t have much experience in single-seater racing and come from an off-road background, that it’s a learning year for me and they’re willing to support me in the future.” 

She struggled against drivers with significantly more single-seater experience at the opening round of F1 Academy in March. Block had “roughly 20” days in new machinery before the Jeddah weekend.

“All the preparation was good,” she said. “But to come to Jeddah and it became a real thing was a lot harder than I would think.” 

After starting the first race from seventh on the grid, Block hit a curb and spun into the barriers, causing her to retire from the race. In the second race, Lola Lovinfosse hit her while attempting to reenter the track, and Block also received penalties for a false start and speeding in the pit lane. She was one of two full-time drivers to leave Jeddah without points. 

“If I could go back and do it again, I definitely would. But I think I just learned so much, and hopefully I can just take all of that and go into Miami. I know we didn’t get to display the speed that I had that weekend, but hopefully at Miami we can.” 

Header photo credit: Williams Racing