{"id":297277,"date":"2023-11-14T23:54:27","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T23:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=297277"},"modified":"2023-11-14T23:54:27","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T23:54:27","slug":"ken-blocks-daughter-signs-with-f1-team-a-year-after-top-gear-stars-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/racing\/f1\/ken-blocks-daughter-signs-with-f1-team-a-year-after-top-gear-stars-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Ken Block’s daughter signs with F1 team a year after Top Gear star’s death"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The world of motorsport lost a legend when Ken Block died earlier this year, but the American\u2019s legacy lives on through his daughter, Lia. The 17-year-old will represent Williams in the 2024 season of F1 Academy, the women\u2019s-only single-seater racing championship staged during F1 Grand Prix weekends.<\/p>\n
Lia will race for ART Grand Prix under the Williams banner, alongside McLaren-backed Filipina driver Bianca Bustamante. Block started racing at 11 years old, competing in karting and rallying, and she has since gained experience in Extreme E and rallycross. She also became the youngest American Rally Association Open Two-Wheel Drive class champion this year, but the 2024 F1 Academy campaign will be her first experience of elite open-wheel racing.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, Williams team principal James Vowles is excited to have her flying the flag for the team. He said: “We are excited to welcome Lia to Williams Racing as our F1 Academy driver for 2024. Lia has already achieved a tremendous amount in motorsport, has incredible natural talent, and the champion mindset and dedication to make a success of her journey into open-wheel racing.<\/p>\n
“We cannot wait to get started on this journey together. As a team, we are committed to Formula 1 and F1 Academy’s joint efforts to improve female representation in motorsport, and we look forward to working with Lia as a key part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.”<\/p>\n
Lia\u2019s father was a cult hero in motorsport and extreme sports circles, not only for his performances as a rally driver but also his social media content. He was an early pioneer on YouTube with his \u201cGymkhana\u201d series that accelerated his rise to fame. He would go on to become an occasional contributor to the internationally-acclaimed motor TV show \u201cTop Gear\u201d, appearing in several episodes and showing off his rare skills behind the wheel.<\/p>\n
He was a culture icon, too, co-founding the DC Shoes brand and appearing in a slew of video games.<\/p>\n
Ken died in January in a snowmobile accident near his Woodland, Utah home at the age of 55. Hoonigan Racing Division, which he founded in 2010, described him as a \u201cVisionary, a pioneer and an icon\u201d.<\/p>\n