Williams retain Lia Block for 2025 F1 ACADEMY campaign

Williams have announced that Lia Block will be embarking on a second F1 ACADEMY campaign next year, with the American driver continuing to represent them on the 2025 grid, racing with ART Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old’s jump from rallying to single-seaters has seen Block go from strength-to-strength in the series. Sitting eighth in the Drivers’ Standings with one round remaining this weekend, Block has yet to score a podium but has secured back-to-back P4 finishes in Singapore.

Speaking on the announcement, Block said she’s delighted to remain a part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and is determined to make her mark once the new campaign gets underway from March 21-23 in Shanghai, China.

“I’m excited to be racing with Williams Racing and ART Grand Prix for the 2025 season, and I’m looking forward to working with everyone in the Driver Academy for another year,” she said.

“We’ve made so much progress, and I can’t wait to hit the track again in Shanghai. This time we fight for wins!”

Sven Smeets, Sporting Director at Williams Racing, added: “We’re thrilled to have Lia racing with us in F1 Academy for 2025. Lia has shown impressive improvement throughout her first season of open-wheel racing, progressing race after race to end the year in a great position.

“We’ll be closely watching her continued growth in the coming year.”