Ida Zetterstrom: “Racing makes me feel grateful"

Ida Zetterstrom is a European drag racer born in Sweden and raised on the Aland Islands in Finland. She’s spent her life around racetracks and first got behind the wheel at a young age. Ida began in Jr. Dragster, moved up to Super Comp Dragster at 16, and over the years has raced both drag bikes and dragsters. She made her mark early in the Super Street Bike class, winning multiple championships, race wins, and resetting records. In 2019, she became the first woman and the youngest racer to win the European Super Street Bike Championship. By the end of 2021, she earned her Top Fuel license with a blistering 3.86-second run - the fastest FIA licensing pass ever. A few months later, she ran an incredible 3.78 seconds, the first sub-3.8 pass in European history, setting a new record.

Ida capped off her European career by winning the Top Fuel Championship in 2023. In 2024, she packed her bags and headed to the U.S. to take on a new challenge, her debut in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association). She is now racing with JCM Racing as they debut the sport’s first all-female nitro team.

“I started racing when I was eight, and I’ve always loved racing ever since,” Ida tells Females in Motorsport. 

Back then, eight was the minimum age to enter Junior Dragster, though today kids can start as young as five.

“I love it for so many reasons, not just the speed,” she says. “Every part of racing makes me feel grateful - the environment, the track, the people. It’s all so amazing. I just love car culture.”

After pushing herself as far as she could in the Super Street Bike category, Ida made the move to Top Fuel.

“Drag racing is extremely competitive, especially at the top levels,” she says. “It’s incredibly hard to be really good at it, but that challenge is what drives me. 

“I want to be the best driver. The more I race, the more I strive for perfection. There’s always room for improvement.”

One of Ida’s favorite things about drag racing is the strong sense of teamwork behind every run. 

“Nothing compares to the amount of teamwork involved,” she says. “On TV or social media, it’s always the driver you see. But if you look beside them, there’s a whole team standing there, without whom nothing is possible.

“It’s always nice to celebrate a personal victory. But imagine celebrating with a team that’s been rooting for you the entire time, that feeling is on a whole different level.”

That sense of community stretches beyond the pits. Drag racing is like a family sport. Parents bring their children, grandparents come along, and everyone is welcomed to the track with open arms.

After picking up her second consecutive FIM Super Street Bike championship, Ida made the transition from two wheels to four, moving into the premier Top Fuel category.

“It didn’t feel unnatural to get back to four wheels because it had been my goal and dream for so long,” she says. “It wasn’t easy, but it felt like home.

“I never wanted to just show up in Top Fuel. I wanted to really prove that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve anything.”

Once Ida conquered the FIA European Top Fuel circuit, she crossed continents, settling down in Indianapolis, Indiana, the epicenter of American drag racing. The transition from Europe to America brought its own challenges.

“It's a battlefield to find sponsors here,” she says. “I want to bring in new companies, not take money away from other teams. 

“We want more competition, more passion, and of course, more funding. It’s only been a short time in America, and I know things will get better. I believe when you do what you love with all your heart and passion, doors open up for you.

“Success goes up and down. One day you’re not at the top, and the next day you might be. The goal should be to cherish what you have.”

Ida can’t imagine life away from the driver’s seat. If she had to choose another path, she says she’d probably be working in media. Still, staying out of racing isn’t in her nature, knowing she’d find her way into another sport.

With everything she’s already accomplished, her best is still ahead.