In 2020, Ken Block became the first driver to pilot Extreme E‘s Spark ODYSSEY 21. Three years later, his daughter Lia Block will follow in his footsteps as she makes her series début, joining Carl Cox Motorsport for this weekend’s Island X Prix and the remainder of the 2023 season. She will partner up with Timo Scheider in the #8.
“It is a huge opportunity to race for Carl Cox Motorsport and I cannot wait to get behind the wheel and out on the course,” said Block. “I am eager to do my best for the team and score some good results.
“I am really looking forward to working alongside Timo, who I have known for years, and the rest of the team. It is going to be my first race outside of the USA, and up against so many big names in the sport, but I am looking forward to the challenge and keen to get started.”
Although only sixteen years old, Block is a rising star in the American rally scene. She is currently sixth in the American Rally Association overall standings and leads the National Open 2WD points. The Oregon Trail Rally in May saw a particularly impressing outing as she won her class and kept pace with imminent two-time champion Brandon Semenuk despite her youth and being in an inferior category.
Block is also racing in the Nitrocross NEXT class, winning Race #1 of the season opener at MidAmerica Outdoors in June before being disqualified. She raced a limited schedule in the series’ SxS support class in 2022. Later in the month, she took part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, racing her father’s iconic “Hoonipigasus” Porsche 911.
“We have been watching Lia for a while as she has already demonstrated enormous potential behind the wheel,” commented CCM owner Carl Cox. “When she became available ahead of the upcoming Island X Prix, we were keen to bring her into the team, and we’re looking forward to seeing how she fares alongside Timo.
“She has already been mentored by some Extreme E greats in Tanner (Foust) and Andreas (Bakkerud), so has learnt from the very best and is eager to show what she can do.”
She replaces Christine GZ for the rest of the year. In an Instagram Story, GZ explained it has been “a very complicated year. For now, we are taking some time off; think, breathe and reset.”
CCM, in their maiden season, is currently eighth in points. GZ and Scheider scored a third-place finish in the first Hydro X Prix in May.
