• by Danielle Oster , February 25, 2025

Formula One (F1)  racing prodigy Lia Block can add becoming the first female driver to partner with an energy drink to her list of career accomplishments.

Rockstar Energy added the 18-year-old -- who was recently retained by British F1 team Williams Racing and French team ART Grand Prix for the 2025 F1 season -- to its roster of athlete brand partners. Block has already broken some major barriers in her short racing career. In 2023, she won the ARA Open Two-Wheel-Drive Class Championship, becoming the youngest American Rally Association champion ever at age 16. Last year, she became both the youngest driver, and the first woman, to race in the Nitrocross Group E class. .

“I hope this partnership inspires more women to break into racing and chase their dreams,” Block said in a statement.

In a release announcing the news, Rockstar Energy said the new deal was part of its strategy of strengthening its marketing presence in motorsports. The brand’s athlete roster already included three-time Formula Drift champion Fredric Aasbø and his teammate, Ryan Tuerck. It’s also part of the brand’s efforts to diversify its athlete roster, and follows the addition of LPGA golfer Charley Hull last month.

“In her 18 years, Lia has solidified her place as a trailblazer in the sport, making history and headlines,” Rockstar Energy Director of Sports Marketing Steve Mateus said in a statement. “Her relentless drive, competitive spirit, and passion for the sport make her a natural fit for the Rockstar team.”

Rockstar Energy’s brand marketing investments come as it struggles to keep up with an increasingly crowded category. PepsiCo acquired the brand for a reported $3.85 billion in 2020, Since then, the brand has failed to hit the $171.24 million in U.S. sales it achieved in 2020, according to Statista data. Rockstar’s sales have declined for the past two years, falling from $162.42 million in U.S. sales in 2023 to $137.1 million in 2024, according to Statista.

PepsicCo has been struggling in the category more broadly. CEO Ramon Laguarta told investors during a Q3 earnings call that the company continued to see “opportunity for innovation and from brand investment” in energy drinks category domestically, despite what he characterized as short-term setbacks.