F1 Academy in 2024 is shaping up to be an exciting season compared to this year and its predecessor, the W Series, with more constructors from Formula 1 supporting next year’s set of drivers. After McLaren recruited Bianca Bustamante, Williams Racing contacted a rising rookie from the North American rallying scene.

Seventeen-year-old Lia Block will be under the Williams Racing Driver Academy in the 2024 season, driving for the ART Grand Prix in her first-ever single-seater career alongside Bustamante as her teammate.

The daughter of the late Ken Block has established herself in various motorsport disciplines, mainly in rally, rallycross, and Extreme-E. She competed at the American Rally Association Championship in the two-wheel-drive category, and finished the 2023 season as the youngest champion in the sport’s history.

Outside of dominating the off-road stages, Block recently participated in the United States Pro Kart Series in the KA Senior category to get a feel for circuit competition while testing with Williams.

Williams team principal James Vowles welcomed Block with open arms, emphasizing her “incredible natural talent, and the champion mindset and dedication to make a success of her journey into open-wheel racing.”