Formula Two powerboat racing is one of the most spectacular motorsports in the world, and Mette Brandt Bjerknæs is one of only two female drivers competing in the UIM Formula 2 World Championship in 2024. Norwegian-born, Mette is based in Cheltenham and competes for Britain. She has been racing in Formula 2 since 2011, but she has also competed in Formula 1, endurance and offshore racing. In 2014, Mette became the first and, to date, only female world champion in endurance class 2 and made headlines all over the world.
F1 champion, Niki Lauder, compared racing the catamarans (which accelerate to 100km/h quicker than a Lamborghini) to ‘driving a racing car over a freshly ploughed field’ and this year’s season has seen Mette compete at events across Europe, culminating later this month (21-22 September) in Vila Velha De Rodao, Portugal. It’s been an action-packed year for her, so we wanted to find out…
What Makes Mette
Happy?
Racing makes me happy. Going away with my team, of course, makes me very happy. For me, it's not just being in my boat and going fast on water; it's being with all the friends I have in the community, and I love travelling, so going to new places, is always fun. It's a whole package.
Sad?
Injustice makes me sad. Seeing that people are not treated fairly makes me very sad, especially when people are doing the best they can with what they've got.
Confident?
Performing my best, the best I can, and seeing the results of my hard work. And when I'm in the gym every day and working my ass off, seeing the results of that makes me really confident.
Angry?
Oh, when I do my best, but still don’t get the results I really want, or when something goes wrong, that's out of my hands; that makes me angry, but there's nothing we can do. That's racing, but it gets to me a bit.
Reflective?
I would say, reflecting on how blessed I am to be able to do what I do. I often reflect on how lucky I am to be able to do what I am doing. And of course, it's because I've got a wonderful team and great sponsors behind me.
Grateful to science?
There's such a science behind racing power boats, and I don't think many people realise how difficult it is to pilot a boat on the water – especially a boat like mine, which is designed to fly and the only part of the boat that is actually holding it down is the propeller. So I love the science behind racing a boat at 200km an hour with only a small propeller holding it down and then turning at 180km an hour with G forces – more G force than a Formula One car.
I used to work as a teacher in Norway. So I love science, and I love explaining to children – especially children – how the G forces are in play when we race.
Follow Mette’s progress on Instagram: @mette.bjerknes and Facebook: @JRM Racing
