Scottish racing driver makes pit stop in Stirling for graduation ceremony

A Scottish racing driver who was the first to race in a major championship has made a quick pit stop today to collect her degree in Stirling.

GT Racer Logan Hannah is celebrating after receiving a BA (Hons) Degree in Psychology and Sports Studies from the University of Stirling today while she successfully juggled her education with a hectic career.

The 22-year-old was the first female driver to compete in the Formula 4 United Arab Emierates championship, and was named Female Driver of the Year by Karting Magazine in 2017.

Inspired by her motorsport enthusiast father, Logan first got behind the wheel at the age of 10, beginning her career in karting in Dubai, where her family had relocated.

After making history in the Formula 4 UAE Championship, she later continued her success back home in Scotland competing in the Scottish Formula Ford Championship and winning the David Leslie Trophy at Knockhill.

Now based in East Kilbride, and fresh from her graduation ceremony, she says the degree has helped set her on her desired career path.

She said: “I am excited to be on the path to where I want to be – a professional factory driver.

“Balancing racing with studying was not easy. I had to manage work, social life, Uni, racing – looking back, I’m not sure how I did it.

Previously on route to Formula 1, Logan made the jump to compete in GT, driving a Le Mans Prototype and racing in the 2024 Ligier European Series.

She added: “My Uni friends couldn’t believe how crazy my life was. Three weeks out from my dissertation deadline, I was called to go to France and from the initial phone call to getting on a flight was about eight hours – I just had to drop everything and go! But that’s how motorsport works – it’s twenty-four-seven, 365 days a year.

“You might only have six or seven weekends in a year of actual racing, but the work involved in getting to the track is immense. I do a lot of brand ambassador work – which often involves travelling – I’m finding sponsors, emailing, networking, testing, training. It’s full-on.”

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Logan flew in from Belgium to attend her Graduation Ceremony (Image: Stirling University)

Logan’s ambition now is to race and win at Le Monde 24 – one of the biggest 24-hour races in GT racing.

The young driver says she is always questioned about her experience as a woman in a male-dominated sport, which is what inspired her to write her dissertation on the social barriers affecting female participation in motorsport.

She said: “The difference from when I started, 12 to 15 years ago, to today, is night and day.”

“When I began racing, especially in Dubai, there were no female racing drivers out there – and across the world, it was only those women who were really at the very top of their sport that were visible. You couldn’t see any girls below them, or on the ladder on the way up.

“That’s changed now and I think in part that’s thanks to social media, which has given everyone an opportunity to create a platform and promote themselves. There has been a genuine increase in female drivers across the sport, which is nice to see. There’s more work to be done, of course, but it’s going in the right direction.”

Logan was among 2,271 students who celebrated their graduation at the University’s summer ceremonies this week. She made a whistle stop visit to the University for the ceremony after flying in from Belgium. She’ll be returning soon after the celebrations, but is looking forward to marking the special occasion and achievement with her family.

Following the summer break, Ms Hannah will continue racing with Nielsen Racing alongside her teammate Ben Caisley at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

She added: “My parents are proud. Racing-wise, my dad lives vicariously through me, he loves it, while my mom is more apprehensive – the racing is scary for her to watch, which I understand.

“They have both been very supportive of me wanting to finish my degree and do the racing at the same time and it wouldn’t have been possible without them – they do so much for me.”