--- title: "Ken Block’s Audi S1 Hoonitron Lights Up Goodwood Hillclimb With Smokey Tribute" description: "Audi brought Ken Block's electric S1 Hoonitron car to the Goodwood Festival of Speed to pay tribute to his legacy." date: "2023-07-16" modified: "2023-07-16" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/ken-blocks-audi-s1-hoonitron-lights-up-goodwood-hillclimb-with-smokey-tribute" categories: - "Audi News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Audi" - "Electric Vehicle" --- # Ken Block’s Audi S1 Hoonitron Lights Up Goodwood Hillclimb With Smokey Tribute ![]() When [Ken Block]() tragically lost his life on January 2, 2023, the motorsport world lost a legend. It was a loss that's still being felt by many, as Block left an indelible mark on the car world as a whole. To honor Block's incredible life and career, Audi brought his most recent Gymkhana car—the [Audi S1 Hoonitron]()—to the [Goodwood Festival of Speed](), where it filled the iconic hillclimb in tire smoke. Block was famous for his unrivaled ability to slide a car around in giant clouds of smoke. Thankfully, Audi brought along a driver skilled enough to pay a proper tribute to Block—nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen. Kristensen is no stranger to fast Audis, as he won Le Mans in the Audi R10 TDI and R18 e-tron Quattro LMP1, and he did his best Ken Block impression by doing a few donuts in front of the crowd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCmUfgFfVKg The Audi S1 Hoonitron was Block's most recent Gymkhana car, as he'd just partnered with Audi in 2022 to build it. It was his first electric Gymkhana car but was also a throwback to his favorite rally car, the Audi Sport Quattro S1. Its fully electric powertrain consists of two electric motors, one at each axle, that combine to make 670 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. But it's the instant torque delivery that makes the S1 a bit of a drift weapon, which Block proved with his Electrikhana video. Block was no stranger to smokey displays of tire-shredding fun at the Goodwood hillclimb, either. Over the years, he drove his F-150 Hoonitruck, Ford Fiesta rally car, Ford RS200, and his Hoonicorn Mustang at Goodwood and stole the show each time. The world is still heartbroken over Block's passing, as his life was even more impactful than his career, but this tribute allows us to remember the incredible moments he brought the motorsport world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO2Li9BMQp8 *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()