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F1 Academy Driver Lia Block Prepares For Formula 1 Car Debut At Goodwood Festival of Speed

17-year-old F1 Academy driver Lia Block will debut in a historic Formula 1 car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Lydia Mee

Lia Block
Lia Block / F1 Academy Press Image

F1 Academy driver Lia Block is set to make her Formula 1 car debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.

Lia Block's impressive rise in motorsports continues as she prepares to drive a historical Formula 1 car at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Scheduled for the upcoming Saturday, Block will pilot the iconic Williams FW08, a car that played a significant role in the 1982 World Drivers' Championship.

The FW08, designed by Frank Dernie, first raced in the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, driven by Finnish driver Keke Rosberg. That season, Rosberg clinched the championship, marking the car's place in F1 history.

American driver Lia Block began her racing career in varied disciplines, claiming the mantle of the youngest champion in the American Rally Association’s history. Her transition from rally to circuit racing, through Extreme E and the new Nitrocross series, and then to competing for ART Grand Prix in F1 Academy, has been nothing short of remarkable.

F1 Academy shared the news to social media, stating:

"Lia Block is set to get behind the wheel of the Championship winning FW08 F1 car, to take on the famous FOS hill at Goodwood this Saturday.

"With the support from Williams Racing and its Academy programme, Lia Block has progressed from making her single-seater debut to driving an F1 car in less than a year"

Her performances in this year's F1 Academy races have included both challenges and noteworthy achievements. She currently sits in tenth position in the Drivers' Standings with 10 points.

Published
Lydia Mee

LYDIA MEE

Lydia is the lead editor of F1 editorial. After following the sport for several years, she was finally able to attend the British Grand Prix in person in 2017. Since then, she's been addicted to not only the racing, but the atmosphere the fans bring to each event. She's a strong advocate for women in motorsport and a more diverse industry. 

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