F1 Academy driver Lia Block will return to rallying on the Lake Superior Efficiency Rally in Michigan on October 11-12, changing Brandon Semenuk on the Subaru Motorsports USA group.
Block gained the Open 2WD class within the American Rally Affiliation Nationwide collection final season earlier than transitioning to circuit racing within the all-female Formulation 1 feeder collection with assist from the Williams F1 group. She took her greatest finishes of the season to this point with a pair of fourth place finishes in Singapore on the weekend of September 21-22.
“Excited is an understatement for the sensation going into LSPR,” stated Block. “Subaru and Vermont SportsCar have given me such a cool alternative to compete at a rally of their top-level automotive.”
LSPR might be Block’s first occasion within the top-tier of American rallying, and she’s going to drive the newest Subaru WRX STI on the occasion alongside Semenuk’s common co-driver Keaton Williams. Her father, Ken Block, drove the automotive’s earlier era in 2021, successful the exact same occasion – his first win there since 2006.
Block’s teammates might be Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino. Block made her Nitrocross Group E debut changing Block at Glen Helen Raceway in 2023, whereas her 2023 rear-wheel-drive title triumph got here with Gelsomino within the co-driver’s seat when Pastrana took a 12 months out from stage competitors.
“Rallying has all the time been my dwelling. It’s my roots,” Block stated. “My household and I’ve such a particular historical past with this group, I wouldn’t need this milestone to be with anybody else. It’s been some time since I’ve competed in a rally automotive, however I’m wanting ahead to the problem of studying my manner round this insanely quick, top-level automotive.
“My objective for this upcoming weekend is to have enjoyable, go quick, and end the rally sturdy and cozy.”
Other than F1 Academy and rallying, Block has additionally competed in Nitrocross, the place she raced in September’s season opener in Richmond, VA for the Dodge-backed Dreyer & Reinbold JC group, and Excessive E.
