INTERVIEW: Lia Block won’t be happy until she’s at the top – be it WRC or F1

Block concedes that as the daughter to Ken, a multiple race winner in the Global Rallycross Championship and Rally America, she was "always immersed in the motorsport world, no matter what" from a very young age, and that she "couldn't really get away from it".

But it was not until she was eight years old that, in her own words, it "sucked her in" after conceding she had "pushed it away a little" and after trying her hand at different sports.

"I'm glad I did that because once I found motorsport again, I really, really fell in love with it and I knew it was what I wanted to do," she said.

Those early years of travelling with her father whilst he competed in World Rallycross, the World Rally Championship and Rally America provided a platform for the adventure that has followed after deciding nine years ago the path she wanted to take.

It is naturally with the deepest sadness her father is no longer by her side to serve as her inspiration, mentor and guide, following his tragic death from a snowmobile accident in January last year.

But even in the short time I spent talking with Lia, you can tell the love and passion she has for motorsport has not diminished. In contrast, there is this ambitious gleam in her eye that speaks volumes about what she could achieve that has not wavered since she knew her trajectory at age eight.

"My dad had always given me chances to get in some sort of car," she said. "I did motorcycles growing up, but never really wanted to race or anything.

"Then he bought me a little electric go-kart. We had a circle driveway and I would just run it around that every day. But I was like, 'is there anything faster than this? I want something faster', and he was like, 'oh yes, I can give you something faster'.

"That was the click, the adrenaline rush and the fact I wanted to go faster, or that I got bored of it so I wanted something new. I think that was pretty much the turning point. Then I tried the racing thing and it worked for me."

Block started off-roading in ATVs, racing a 570 Razor in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series over short courses. In her first race, and at only the third corner, she flipped the car, learning the hard way the perils and pitfalls of motorsport. Undaunted, she brushed aside that incident and was quickly back in the race seat.

"I'm definitely a person who doesn't get scared easily, and when I want something, I will do anything to go get it," she said.

"I think that was the point where my dad was like, 'okay, you're going a little fast. Let's slow it down'. I think that's why he brought me to karting, to slow everything down. It's hard to flip a kart, but it's doable. I've done it - unfortunately.

"But I think starting when I was that young, and because I was that fearless in off-road, it was the best way to go karting. I feel like that is what made me such a well-rounded driver."

It was not until Block was 11 that she started karting, which she concedes was "a little late". In contrast to many of her F1 Academy rivals this year, who began much younger in their own lives, this is true.

Block, however, learned different skills that have long stood her in good stead which, now allied to her open-wheel exploits, are helping her to quickly mature on track. She describes those formative years as "the ground-building steps".

"Once I went back to off-road from karting, it helped me so much as a driver," she said. "It made me so much more patient, just trying to find all of the little things, whereas before I would just go into a corner, turn the wheel, use the throttle, and there was nothing else around it. There was no discipline."

With her father and mother, Lucy, involved in rallying, her initial path was effectively pre-ordained, especially given the fact her mother had a pink car with a unicorn on it. "That really swayed me. I was like, 'why can't I drive mommy's car?' My dad was like, 'you're not old enough yet'. I then did a rally school, and I fell in love with it from there."

Block was only 15 when she competed in her first national-level rally, the Oregon Trail, which served as the final round of the 2021 American Rally Association Championship.

The following year she competed more regularly, scoring two podiums along the way before a breakout year in 2023 when, at the age of 16, she became the youngest champion in ARA history, winning the Open Two-Wheel Drive class with two rallies remaining after winning four of the first five.

That season she also competed in the Extreme E Championship with Carl Cox Motorsport, and before the year was out, she was approached by Williams to join their Driver Academy and to compete in this year's F1 Academy with ART Grand Prix.

"When I got told that it was Williams, I was like, 'am I thinking about the right Williams, guys? The Formula 1 team? This doesn't make any sense,” she chuckled.

"It was honestly a big surprise they even reached out, or that I was an option in the first place. I did one USF2000 test in the US the year before, and I had been looking into open-wheel a bit, but not as much as I should have to be recognised for this.

"I had to think it over. It's hard coming from winning a rally championship in the U.S. and then saying, 'okay, I'm going to hit pause on this and I'm going to do this stuff that I have no idea about'.

"It was quite a hard decision in the first place, but I'm so thankful I did it because the amount of people I've met this year, the amount of experience I've gained on a racetrack, in this new race car, has been so impactful.

"I think if I went back right now to rally, I'd definitely be a better driver than when I left.”

Over the three rounds of the F1 Academy to date, Block's progression has been noticeable considering it is her first season of open-wheel racing compared to those around her with considerably more experience.

The first round in Jeddah was a baptism of fire before she finished tenth in the second race of the subsequent round in Miami to score her first point. At the last round in Barcelona, Block continued her upward momentum with another tenth in race one, then a stand-out sixth in race two.

Underlining how hard she is on herself, though, she said: "I wish I could say I've impressed myself, but I haven't really.

"I go into any series and I want to win, and I know I'm giving myself some stick because obviously I have never done this before and it's all been a learning experience.

"But I definitely won't be happy until I'm on the podium or until I'm on that top step. I hope I have exceeded expectations with Williams and ART and I hope to keep doing so. As long as I keep seeing improvement, it's definitely something that makes me want to keep coming back.

"It's hard mentally, coming from rally and being at the top and winning a championship. Then you come to this, which is technically a grassroots series and car, to being mid to back of the field. That's obviously not where I want to be or I wouldn't be a race car driver.

"It's just about working through that every day and seeing how I can improve. It's just telling myself little improvements every day to make it to the end goal. Just working on any little thing that I can."

In a short period of time, Block has discovered the fundamental differences between the world of off-road/rally and that of a series affiliated to F1 in the Academy and the trappings that brings, particularly given her affiliation with Williams.

"The amount of support they've given me is crazy," enthused Block. "I have a sports psychologist, a physical trainer, a nutritionist. In L.A. we don't have that stuff. I've never thought of having that in my career ever.

"But then suddenly they're like, 'okay, you need this, this, and this', but then I would say open-wheel cars are definitely more physical, as in upper body.

"Just having a physical trainer has been really good for me, going to the gym and working on specific muscles. The warm-up process on a race weekend is so important. I've definitely seen the impact.

"I don't have to worry about the physical things in the car, whether my arms hurt, or I can make a corner. I can focus on racing now."

At 17, Block seemingly has the world at her feet. Unsurprisingly, given her experiences, making a call on whether to pursue rally or open-wheel racing is impossible. Each has its merits, leaving Block torn.

The ambition within her, however, is striking. "It's so hard, especially right now," she said. "I need a bit more time in this open-wheel world to make a decision.

"Thankfully, I am that young, and I have so many opportunities that I am able to still explore. The two main routes for either rally or open-wheel, it's either WRC or F1 for me. I want to make it to a world championship, and I want to do the best I possibly can there.

"I want to climb up the ladder, do all the things. It's just all going to come down to what I love the most. Hopefully, eventually, in the near future, I'll know. Currently, I've got no idea.

"For me, F1 Academy is great for the first season, but with all the girls having to either move up or go to a different series next year because half of them are out of time, I don't know how great the competition will be next year and if it will be good for my development.

"From my point of view, next year, if staying in open-wheel, I would prefer to go to a series with a deeper field."

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images