Lia Block will contest her first rally outside of America, and make her asphalt debut, when she starts next week’s Rallye National d’Automne Charente-Maritime in France.
The 20-year-old will drive a Team FJ Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF on the 10-stage event, which runs inland from La Rochelle. Block, co-driven as usual by Alex Gelsomino, will face a packed entry for the SMRC4 category, with 13 other Rally4 drivers chasing the class win.
The Friday-Saturday rally will be Block’s first outing since coming within two points of lifting the ARA National Championship title at America’s season-closer, last month’s Lake Superior Performance Rally.
While Block has no shortage of Tarmac experience following two years at the sharp end of the F1 Academy, her time on asphalt stages has been restricted to the occasional spectator stage on ARA rounds.
Rallye National d’Automne Charente-Maritime offers 87 stage miles across four loops, delivering plenty of opportunity to work on the car set-up in what are expected to be challenging weather conditions.
The American is expected to test the Ypsilon for the first time on Tuesday ahead of Friday’s start.
