Lia Block’s back where she belongs. Or she soon will be. Returning to rallying after two seasons in the F1 Academy, the 19-year-old Utah star will tackle next week’s Sno*Drift Rally for the very first time.
Driving an Element Motorsport-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally3, Block says he target is very straight forward in Michigan.
“I want to stay out of the ditches and snowbanks,” she smiled. “I get a test for around 40 kilometers next week, then we’re back into it. The deal was all quite last minute to do the event, but I’m really excited to be back – and with the snow in Michigan, maybe we have the perfect little, light car with not too much torque.”
Block became the youngest ever American champion when she lifted the 2023 O2WD class aged 16. Busy competing in the Formula 1 support series, she only started two rallies in the last two seasons: driving a factory Subaru in LSPR (when she went off the road) and putting a Fiesta Rally3 on the overall podium of last year’s Boone Forest Rally.
Next week’s Atlanta-based ARA-opener will be a first for her.
“I’m sure I was at Sno*Drift with my dad when I was young,” she told DirtFish, “but this is definitely the first time I’ve competed there and it’s my first time on a snow rally and first time on a snow rally without studs… it’s going to be interesting! To be honest, I just want to finish. I want to get out there, enjoy the rally and take some points.”
Take some points? Does that indicate a longer-term ARA plan for 2026?
“Maybe,” she said. “Ultimately my goal’s the same. Like we said before, I want to be in Europe and I want to be competing in the World Rally Championship, that hasn’t changed. But the chance to use this year to get back into rallying, to learn more and to enjoy American rallying when it’s really coming on strong again, with Toyota coming, it could be a very valuable season.”
As usual, Block will be co-driven by a Gelsomino – but this time it’s Alex not Rhianon, who remains at Subaru alongside Travis Pastrana. Alex was, of course, co-driver to Lia’s father Ken.
“For so many years Alex was my dad’s co-driver,” she said, “so it’s kind of a full circle moment to have Alex co-drive me. He sat with me in a test in the [Ford Escort] Cossie three years ago and now we’re finally doing our first rally together. It’ll be fun and, for me, there will always be an emotional aspect to it. I don’t think there’s anything sad about it in my brain, just that we can collaborate together and go out and do what my dad used to love and what we love to do and that’s go racing rally.
“And, honestly, he’s like an uncle to me and Rhi is like an aunt. So I just think it’s going to be amazing. In terms of where we are aiming to finish, as long as I can keep it on the road, we’re going to be looking at a top five or a podium, but the priority is points and enjoying the snow for the first time.”
Block’s manager Derek Dauncey knows the Sno*Drift well, having worked the event with Ken. He said: “It’s great to see Lia back out in a rally car. I think we’re all aware that Sno*Drift isn’t the most straightforward round of the series, but it’s a fantastic event to go and get experience of driving a car in compromised conditions – you only have to look at last week’s Monte Carlo to see how important that can be. The key will be working the tires as much as possible and being patient. As Lia said, the key is to take the experience, the points and the finish.”
Block’s Fiesta will carry DirtFish Women in Motorsport decals to demonstrate her continued support of the initiative.
She added: “DirtFish’s Women in Motorsport program is something I’ve been involved with from the start, I attended and spoke on the panel at the first [DirtFish Women in Motorsport] Summit and just bringing eyes to this amazing program with Josie Rimmer is something very, very important to me. I will do everything I can to help support throughout this year and going forwards.”
