Academy Report: Lia sends it at Salt Lake

The Williams Racing Driver Academy saw two members racing over the weekend with action in the USA and the Middle East.

There wasn't any single seater racing for Lia Block or Sara Matsui, however, with our two hopefuls taking to off-road machinery and karts

See how Lia handled her second Nitrocross weekend and how Sara's latest Champions of the Future Academy round went by reading on below.

After impressing in her Nitrocross return at Richmond Raceway last month, Lia headed to the Utah Motorsports Campus in Salt Lake City for more off-road action.

Although she didn't make the Finals for Round 3, her Round 4 result went one better than her maiden outing in September.

Collisions and contact continued her Nitrocross education, which is all part of the frantic racing style of the mixed-surface series.

Crossing the line P5 in the electric DRR Dodge netted Lia 32 points to her championship tally after another strong showing.

The karting world headed out of Europe to the renowned Dubai Kartdrome for Round 4 of the Champions of the Future Academy series.

Sara took to the OK-N Senior category for her weekend of racing in the high temperatures of the UAE.

Encouraging results had top-10 finishes during the heats, including a P6 classification in Qualifying Heat 1 and a fourth-fastest lap in Time Qualifying.

Frustratingly for Sara, the speed she showed on the run to the final didn't have a chance to transfer after a Lap 1 collision ended the weekend finale with a DNF.

The UAE will host the final two rounds of action for Sara starting next month while Lia's busy 2024 will have her in the cockpit of a Subaru WRX ARA24 at the Lake Superior Performance Rally this weekend for more off-road racing.