Logan Hannah: Walter Hayes Trophy
6th-7th November 2021
National FF1600 – Silverstone
Logan has had limited seat-time in 2021 but with the support of Laser Tools Racing and Graham Brunton Racing managed a hugely impressive result at the Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone
Practicing from the Thursday of race week — four good test sessions throughout the day, I was relatively quick and we had made some changes to the car as we progressed through the day — readjusting back to Silverstone after not being there for a year!
Only had three sessions on the Friday, quicker again and finding more time on older rubber. Put on a new set of tyres for the last session and found the set-up we needed for qualifying the next morning.
Saturday Qualifying:
Conditions were dry but cold and we were strong on the new rubber; ran in P4 for most of the qualifying session but due to other drivers getting tow and my last flying lap getting interrupted by a slower driver I ended up qualifying with a strong P6 in the end. The heat I was in was incredibly strong with two previous winners and the top 10 being separated by a second.
Heat 1:
Starting my heat in P6, I got a mega start and came round after the first lap in 4th. Battling throughout the whole race with other drivers and ended up 6th on the road but due to another driver getting a track limits penalty I finished 5th. My heat was the second fastest and due to the format, I would line up in 9th in Semi-Final 2.
Sunday:
Semi-Final 2:
Due to finishing P5 in the faster heat I was lining up in 9th for the start of semi-final 2. Got another good start and closed the gap on the car in front of me in 5th but he essentially became a rolling road block and due to this, the pack of five or six cars behind me were able to catch up. A mistake on my part where I ran wide on the exit of Copse and the gap I left in the train, was quickly filled and I was essentially hung out to dry and fitted back into the group back in 10th where I finished the race but again due to penalties I was bumped back up to 9th for the final.
Grand Final:
Semi-Final 2 was the slower race and due to this I was starting in P18. This was my highest start for the Walter Hayes final and I was looking forward to what was looking to be a very close race! Didn’t get the best of starts and dropped back to 22nd on the opening lap but there was a 10-car battle for the last few positions in the top 15. Some cars having to retire and spinning out in front of me helped me on my way to my best Walter Hayes finish yet, lot of close racing and attempts to break the tow from cars behind me and I was able to finish in 15th.
I am really pleased with my pace in the final, setting my own personal best time in the middle of a mid-pack battle but also being able to hold my own in a very competitive field. Overall, I am incredibly happy with how I performed this weekend, every year is incredibly difficult in terms of the competition but being up at the front in all my races with the limited seat and race time that I have had over the last year, is a huge achievement — 12 out of the 14 cars finishing ahead of me competed in the national championship this season!
Everything that myself and the team has been able to achieve over the last two weeks at the two biggest Formula Ford events of the year is huge and is a big step in the right direction for what I end up racing in next year!
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