Block, whose late father Ken constructed up an enormous following for his viral Gymkhana movies, will make her single-seater debut with the ART Grand Prix crew because the all-female sequence forges nearer ties with F1.
All 10 F1 groups could have a nominated driver in F1 Academy running in its colours in 2024, with Block turning into the second driver to be linked to an F1 outfit.
McLaren introduced that Bianca Bustamante would join its driver development programme for her second yr, switching from Prema to ART.
Block mentioned: “I’m so excited to be becoming a member of the Williams Driver Academy and competing in F1 Academy in 2024!
“That is one thing I by no means might have dreamed of. I can’t wait to embrace this new expertise and be taught as a lot as potential.”
Block started competing in nationwide degree rallying in 2021, and gained the Open Two-Wheel Drive class within the American Rally Affiliation Championship.
She has additionally contested 4 rounds of the Excessive E championship alongside Timo Scheider for Carl Cox Motorsport, claiming a greatest results of fifth in Sardinia, and entered the US-based Nitrocross NEXT sequence.
Photograph by: Williams
Lia Block, ART Grand Prix with Williams Racing
Williams F1 crew boss James Vowles added: “We’re excited to welcome Lia to Williams Racing as our F1 Academy driver for 2024.
“Lia has already achieved an incredible quantity in motorsport, has unimaginable pure expertise, and the champion mindset and dedication to make a hit of her journey into open-wheel racing. We can’t wait to get began on this journey collectively.
“As a crew, we’re dedicated to System 1 and F1 Academy’s joint efforts to enhance feminine illustration in motorsport, and we look ahead to working with Lia as a key a part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.”
Block joins Indy NXT racer and three-time W Collection champion Jamie Chadwick as a second feminine member of the Driver Academy.
It additionally options Zak O’Sullivan, who will make his FP1 debut for Williams on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and step as much as System 2 with ART subsequent yr, his fellow F2 graduate (with MP Motorsport) Franco Colapinto, in addition to System 3 racers Luke Browning and Oliver Grey.
Inaugural F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia will graduate to the System Regional European Championship by Alpine sequence having been awarded a fully-funded seat with Prema.