LIA BLOCK Returns to Rally at Sno*Drift After Two F1 Academy Seasons

January 30, 2026

• LIA BLOCK is heading back to her rallying roots at next week’s Sno*Drift Rally, marking her return after two seasons competing in F1 Academy. The 19-year-old Utah driver will tackle the Michigan snow event for the first time in an Element Motorsport Ford Fiesta Rally3, with goals refreshingly honest: “I want to stay out of the ditches and snowbanks.” This isn’t just any comeback—she’s the youngest American champion in history, having claimed the 2023 O2WD class title at age 16.
• The timing couldn’t be more intriguing. While Block only managed two rally starts in the past two seasons due to her F1 Academy commitments, she made those outings count—including an overall podium finish at last year’s Boone Forest Rally in the same Fiesta Rally3 spec. Her co-driver situation adds emotional weight: Alex Gelsomino, who sat alongside her father Ken for years, will now guide her through the stages. “It’s kind of a full circle moment,” Block explained, describing the collaboration as both professionally strategic and personally meaningful.
• Block’s longer-term vision remains crystal clear—World Rally Championship competition in Europe—but she’s using 2026 strategically. The ARA’s momentum, including Toyota’s involvement, creates the perfect testing ground for her skills while American rallying gains serious traction. Her continued partnership with DirtFish’s Women in Motorsport program shows she understands her platform extends beyond personal achievement. With realistic expectations of a top-five finish if she keeps the car clean, Block is positioning herself for sustainable growth rather than headline-grabbing heroics.

american rally association, blackford’s pre tt classic road races, ford fiesta rally3, sno*drift rally