EXCLUSIVE: Lia Block On Insane Rockstar Energy Partnership, F1 Academy, Upcoming Netflix Series, And More

At just 18 years old, Lia Block has signed with Rockstar Energy as the first female driver on the brand’s athlete roster. 

The American driver already has an impressive track record in rally and off-roading, becoming the youngest champion in the American Rally Association’s history and the first female driver in the Nitrocross Group E class. 

Now though, Block is entering her second and final year in the all-female single-seater F1 Academy series. 

During an exclusive interview with Lydia Mee for F1 on SI, Block discussed her new partnership with Rockstar Energy, her mindset going into the 2025 F1 Academy season, and the upcoming Netflix series focussing on the racing series, and more.

F1 on SI: You’re the first female driver on Rockstar Energy’s roster. How does it feel to be part of such an iconic brand, and can you give us some insight into how this partnership came about?

Lia Block:  For me, it's a really big step in my career, especially to have a brand like Rockstar behind me and supporting me.

They support women athletes a lot, from motorsport to golf and everything in between. So it feels empowering for me to know that they're behind me and supporting me in whatever I do, whether that is F1 Academy, off-road, rally, it's me as an athlete.

I'm really excited. I grew up watching Rallycross when they were in sponsorship with the Volkswagen team and it was such an iconic thing. So, to be a part of the Rockstar family now, it's a really big thing.

SI: Growing up around motorsports, what are some of your earliest memories of getting behind the wheel, and when did you know you wanted to pursue it professionally?

LB:  I definitely grew up in and around it all my life. I was in the paddocks of WRC and Rallycross growing up, so I was always in it from the start. But to be honest, I never really wanted to race until I was about 10 years old. Sometimes I think I was like, ‘that's what my dad does’, so maybe I pushed it away a little bit. So I tried a bunch of different sports- I did skateboarding, surfing, I did some tennis, lacrosse. I did all the other things before I came back, but I think my dad kind of always had opportunities for me and opened the door, [but] never really forced me. So, I was like, ‘Oh, let me see if I want to try it’. And as soon as I got in an off-road vehicle for the first time, it just was like a light switch.

I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing.’ And it kind of just snowballed from there, and here I am, and I would not change anything.

SI: What inspired you to move to F1 Academy and single-seaters after such a successful rally career?

LB:  It was a big decision and kind of out on a whim. I grew up in off-road, in rally, so that was my first step in my career. That's where I had the opportunities and that's the only thing I knew.

But, I did grow up watching F1 on TV with my dad every Sunday. So we followed it since I was really young and I think it was such an area of unknown for me. When I got the opportunity, it kind of felt like this split off in my career. It's like a lottery ticket. To race with Williams and be under an F1 team, and especially with the F1 Academy being so new and so trailblazing for women in motorsport, I felt like it was just the best opportunity. 

Even if I only do it for these two years and go back to rally, it’s still the best experience I've had. I've learned so much and met so many different people.

I still do rally on and off, a little bit of off-road, but it's just a new experience and any kind of seat time helps. So I'm having a blast so far.

SI: You’ve competed in rally, Nitrocross, and now open-wheel racing— what’s it like to adapt to so many different disciplines so quickly?

LB:  To be honest, the start of last year was really difficult for me. It was kind of like starting from scratch because obviously the off-road world is much different than single-seater F1 stuff. So, for me mentally coming off winning a championship in rally to starting from scratch at the bottom of the field, it was really hard.

But I think overall last year made me such a better driver and better person. I feel so much stronger and confident in having to learn all these new things, but it’s very different. But at the same time, I can still take some stuff that I've learned in rally and off-road and apply it a bit in this world, because I'm not afraid to get a little bit loose in the wet. 

It's definitely been a roller coaster of emotions and learning. The learning curve was so steep, especially with competing against these girls who have been doing single-seater and karting for their whole life. But it's also the most rewarding when the hard work starts paying off. That's why I'm really excited about this season.

SI: Now that you are heading into your second year in F1 Academy, what do you see as a successful 2025 season for you?

LB:  I want all or nothing. Last year was a learning year. It was where I got my feet under me. And this year I want to go for the big wins and hopefully a championship. It's little steps at a time, but this first F1 Academy testing went really well for me and I have a very good support system from my sponsors, and now Rockstar Energy, really propelling me forward. I think it's going to be a good year.

SI: F1 Academy has just confirmed that it is bringing back reverse grids for 2025. What are your thoughts on this?

LB:  I think it's gonna be really cool. Especially with some of the tracks that we're going to this year, it just brings a bit more extra excitement.

I think for the people who qualify at the top of the grid, it may not be so fun because it's definitely stressful, you’ve got to keep passing people to get back up there, but I think it will create tighter racing. I hope it's going to be more fun. 

We'll see, if I qualify P1 and start P8, maybe it's not so good then, but I think it'll be cool.

SI: You’re representing Williams Racing in F1 Academy—what’s it like partnering with a team that has shown so much growth over the last couple of years?

LB:  Honestly, it's a dream come true. I've gotten to work with Alex Albon and now Carlos Sainz this year, Logan Sargeant last year, a fellow American. Developing as a junior driver, to be able to talk with F1 drivers or even team principals and engineers from an F1 team, it's so insightful and I think I wouldn't be where I am in my career or my learning without Williams because they've given me so many resources. 

I have a personal trainer. I work with a sports psychologist, they give me a lot of help behind the scenes. All those marginal gains that help you so much on track. Even being able to go into the garage during an F1 weekend and be a part of the team, it's just an incredible experience.

SI: With this year being your last season in F1 Academy, where do you see yourself beyond 2025?

LB:  Honestly, it's a bit up in the air. I am going to do some rally this year as well in between F1 Academy stuff, so keeping up with that and if I win the [F1 Academy] championship, who knows? I go on to FRECA or F3? If not, maybe I reconsider and we go back to rally.

But, I think that's what's also so cool about Rockstar, with them supporting me as an athlete all around. They're happy to go with me wherever I go and so it's cool that we get to do those extra things in and around the season.

It's going to come down probably to the last couple months of the season.

SI: As a young woman in motorsports, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?

LB:  I would say as a woman in motorsport, it's definitely maybe been a bit more challenging being in such a male dominated sport. But I also think it's been a bit easier for me in some ways. I probably wouldn't be racing in Europe right now in Formula cars, if it wasn't for F1 Academy and the opportunity of being a woman that can create. But also, growing up as an 11, 12 year old in an off-road series being the only girl competing, it also feels a bit weird because I'm like, ‘okay, so why am I the only one?’

But I think that's what also growing up with my parents and my mom [helped with], they never said anything about what you can't do as a girl. So I think I never really had that mentality of, I'm not allowed to be here or I shouldn't be here. You kind of have to block out all of the other noise.

And yes, maybe they fight me a little bit harder on the track just because they know my car and I'm a girl, but it makes you a better driver and a better person mentally because you have to be much stronger. And it just feels better because you beat all the boys, being the only girl.

SI: There is a huge push behind the F1 Academy, first the partnership with F1 teams and now the Netflix series. Are you excited about being in your own ‘Drive to Survive’-type series?

LB: When I heard last year that we're gonna have a Netflix show I'm like…’What!? There's no way, that's so crazy.’ But I've enjoyed them being around this year and the filming. I think that  maybe sometimes when emotions are running high and you just have a camera in your face you're like, ‘leave me alone.’ But at the same time I think it's going to be so important for everyone to be able to see the behind the scenes and how much work actually goes into what we do even though we're at such a low level in the F1 world, and especially as females. 

So I'm excited to see it because I haven't seen anything besides when they’ve been around filming. So I know what they filmed, but I'm going to be really excited for when it comes out to be able to watch it.

SI: You’ve talked about hoping to inspire more women to break into racing. What advice would you give to young female drivers who want to follow in your footsteps?

LB:  I would say experience. Experience is everything and seat time. The more you're in and around the motorsport world, whether it's in the paddock as a volunteer or just watching on the sidelines, everything can lead to an opportunity and really whatever you have, you kind of have to take it because it can lead you anywhere. 

Small steps are really big gains in the long end. So, you really just have to mentally set your goals and where you want to be in the future to make it happen because you're the only one that can dictate where you go.