Logan Hannah

Logan Hannah is a Scottish racing driver who traded her original Formula 1 dreams for prototype and GT racing, with her sights set firmly on winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans—and she’s making all the right moves to get there.

EARLY YEARS

Born on August 16, 2001, Logan Hannah grew up in a household where motorsport wasn’t just background noise—it was religion. Her father, a die-hard motorsport enthusiast, didn’t just watch races; he lived vicariously through them. So when the family relocated to Dubai and young Logan got her first shot in a go-kart at age 10, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that she took to it like she’d been born behind the wheel. “When I first got my shot in a go-kart, I knew it was something I didn’t want to stop,” she’d later recall—a sentiment that would prove to be a massive understatement.[4][5]

Her mother, while supportive of both her racing ambitions and her education, had a slightly different take on the whole thing: watching her daughter hurtle around circuits at ridiculous speeds was, unsurprisingly, terrifying. But both parents enabled Hannah to walk the tightrope between racing and academics, a balancing act that would define much of her early career.[4]

Hannah’s karting career began in earnest in Dubai, but she’d eventually make her way back to Scotland, competing at Larkhall Circuit until she was old enough to race further south. By age 16 in 2017, she was already racking up international racing experience and earning the kind of recognition that suggested she wasn’t just another karting kid with a dream.[2][5]

OTHER INTERESTS

While Hannah’s racing resume is extensive, her life outside the cockpit is notably more private. What we do know is that she pursued a BA (Hons) in Psychology and Sports Studies at Stirling University—a degree she managed to complete in 2024 while simultaneously maintaining a full racing schedule, which is either impressively disciplined or mildly insane, depending on your perspective.[1][4]

The choice to study psychology and sports studies wasn’t random; it suggests an interest in understanding performance, mindset, and the mental game that separates good drivers from great ones. But beyond her academic pursuits and her racing commitments, Hannah keeps her hobbies and personal interests largely under wraps. No public information exists about collections, creative pursuits, pets, or weekend adventures—which means she’s either entirely consumed by racing and studying, or she’s just smart enough to keep some things to herself.

EARLY SUCCESS

Hannah’s karting days weren’t just about logging seat time—she was competitive from the jump. In the UAE, she regularly finished in the top 10 in both Junior Rotax and Senior Rotax categories, racing against a field she described as “very competitive.”[2] In 2014, she competed in the Sodi W Series Junior Cup, and by 2017, Karting Magazine had seen enough to name her Female Driver of the Year—a title that marked her as one to watch.[4]

Her transition from karts to cars happened in 2017 and 2018, starting with a test in a Ginetta Junior at Blyton Park before moving into Formula 4 in Abu Dhabi. In 2018, she made history as the first female to compete in the Formula 4 UAE Championship—no small feat in a region where motorsport is taken seriously and the competition is fierce.[2][4]

By late 2018, Hannah had entered her first UK Formula Ford race, and 2019 proved to be a breakout year. She finished fourth overall in the Scottish Formula Ford 1600 Championship with three podiums and claimed the championship title in the Brands Formula Ford series. She also took home the David Leslie Trophy at Knockhill, a win that carried extra weight given Leslie’s legendary status in Scottish motorsport.[1][4]

Perhaps most impressive was her performance at the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix support races in the F4 UAE F1 Support Trophy. Hannah hadn’t driven slicks in over two years and had zero practice time going into the weekend. She still managed top-10 finishes in both races. “It was an incredible experience,” she said afterward. “Eye opening to the possibilities and opportunities that are ahead of me in my future career.”[2]

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2014: Competed in Sodi W Series Junior Cup[1]
• 2017: Named Female Driver of the Year by Karting Magazine[4]
• 2018: Became the first female to compete in the Formula 4 UAE Championship[2][4]
• 2019: Finished fourth overall in the Scottish Formula Ford 1600 Championship with three podiums[1]
• 2019: Won the Brands Formula Ford Championship[1]
• 2019: Won the David Leslie Trophy at Knockhill[4]
• 2019: Achieved top-10 finishes in both F4 UAE races at Abu Dhabi GP support event despite no practice and not driving slicks in over two years[2]
• 2022: Became only the second woman to win a race in the GB4 Championship, earning two podiums total that season with Graham Brunton Racing[4]
• 2024: Graduated from Stirling University with BA (Hons) in Psychology and Sports Studies while maintaining active racing career[4]
• 2024: Transitioned to GT and Le Mans Prototype racing with Nielsen Racing[4]

INSPIRATIONS

Hannah’s path into motorsport was paved almost entirely by her father, whose passion for racing became the spark that lit her own fire. He didn’t just encourage her—he needed her to race, living out his own motorsport dreams through her career. It’s the kind of parental influence that can go sideways fast, but in Hannah’s case, it seems to have provided genuine inspiration rather than unwanted pressure.[4]

Beyond family, Hannah came up through the Young Racing Driver Academy starting in 2015 and spent two years as a TBOS (presumably The Bend Overland Series) athlete. She’s also credited the team at Graham Brunton Racing with nurturing her career since she graduated from karting, providing the kind of support structure that’s essential for young drivers trying to make it up the ladder.[2]

Her racing philosophy is refreshingly grounded. “Bettering yourself through the lows will help you reach the highs,” she’s said—the kind of mindset that suggests she’s thought seriously about resilience and the mental side of racing, which tracks given her psychology studies.[2]

REPUTATION

Hannah has built her reputation on being a history-maker—first female in Formula 4 UAE, second woman to win in GB4—but she’s managed to do it without the fanfare that sometimes accompanies “first female to” headlines. She’s simply been getting on with the business of racing, racking up results that speak for themselves.[2][4]

Her selection for driver development programs like the Young Racing Driver Academy and backing from sponsors like Laser Tools indicates that people with money and expertise see potential worth investing in. In 2022, she was part of an all-female lineup at Graham Brunton Racing alongside Chloe Grant, a pairing that turned heads not just for its gender composition but for its competitiveness.[1]

What’s notable about Hannah’s career trajectory is the pivot she made in 2024. After years on what appeared to be a Formula 1-focused path through Formula 4 and single-seater racing, she made the decision to jump to GT and prototype racing—a move that’s increasingly common among drivers who realize the odds of reaching F1 are astronomical and the opportunities in endurance racing are both more achievable and potentially more rewarding.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Hannah isn’t coy about what she wants. “I am excited to be on the path to where I want to be—a professional factory driver,” she stated in 2024. “My ambition is to race and win at Le Mans 24—one of the biggest 24-hour races in GT racing.”[4]

That’s not hedge-your-bets ambition; that’s a clear target. Having joined Nielsen Racing in 2024 to compete in the Ligier European Series with teammate Ben Caisley, she’s now getting the prototype and GT experience that forms the foundation for an assault on Le Mans. The path from where she is now to a factory drive at Circuit de la Sarthe is well-trodden—if exceptionally difficult to actually walk.

What makes Hannah’s goal particularly interesting is the timing. Women are making inroads in endurance racing faster than they are in Formula 1, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans has seen female drivers compete in top classes with increasing frequency. Hannah’s pivot from single-seaters to prototypes and GT racing isn’t giving up on a dream—it’s recalibrating toward a more realistic one, which might actually be the smartest career move she’s made yet.

References:

GB4 Championship – Logan Hannah Driver Profile (2022)
Females in Motorsport – Logan Hannah Interview
Formula 4 Wiki – Logan Hannah
University of Stirling News – Logan Hannah Graduates (June 2024)
Fast and Fearless – Logan Hannah Feature (2018)