An all-female duo
Gabriela is Czech, Lucile is French, but they have a lot in common, including a lot of talent and determination.
Gabriela JILKOVA, nicknamed “Quick Gaby”, was born on the 2nd of April 1995 in the Czech Republic. After a brilliant career in karting (that she started at age 5), she continued into single seaters, more specifically in the Formula Renault 2.0, where she got noticed by taking several victories. During an event in Austria, at the Red Bull Ring, Gabriela was injured in a multiple car crash just after the start. Seriously injured on five vertebra, she was immobilised for many months away from the track. Thanks to courage and determination, she is back behind the wheel and alternates between saloon cars and single-seater testing. From 2019, she turned towards GT and raced in championships in Germany (ADAC GT4 Germany) and in Europe (GT4 European Series). Gabriela knows GT4 particularly well, which is an asset for the crew to quickly get into the race.
Lucile CYPRIANO was born near Paris, in Chatenay-Malabry, on the 2nd of September 1996. She also discovered competition by starting with karting. In 2013, she turned towards motorsport and single seaters by taking part in the France F4 championship. But the following year, she started racing in saloon cars by entering the Volkswagen Scirocco-R Cup championship, with the support of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission. She followed that with two seasons in the Seat Leon Eurocup (first woman to take a title in the overall rankings). In 2017, Lucile returned to France to race in the France Porsche Carrera Cup. She then took part in 2020 in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring and finished on the podium of her category. An eclectic and versatile driver, she also has solid experience in rallying.
A packed programme
For this new crew, the French championship will start in April (7/10) with the traditional Easter races (Coupes de Pâques) and will then head to Nièvre to go race on the technical Magny-Cours track (5/7 May). In 2023, the championship will return to its historical racing grounds with a round at Dijon-Prenois (16/18 June) and then to the Val de Vienne circuit at the start of summer (7/9 July). After the summer break, it will be a return to the track at Lédenon (8-10 September), just before the finale that will take place at the Paul Ricard circuit (6/8 October). Before they get into the thick of it, numerous test sessions have already been planned for the drivers to allow them to familiarise with the team but also to refine their trajectories on some of the tracks.
About the Matmut 100% Female Driving Award
With the Matmut 100% Female Driving Award, Matmut has chosen to develop a new sustainable action in motorsport. This commitment shows the desire of the company and its partner AKKODIS ASP to contribute to existing initiatives in favour of women in motorsport and to work towards their representation. This commitment aims to boost the women's motorsport sector and to give two women drivers the opportunity to play at the forefront of the French GT4 championship. The ambition of the Matmut 100% Female Driving Award is to contribute to generating opportunities for women drivers and to show young female motorsport enthusiasts that opportunities exist and are being developed.
About the Matmut Group With 4.1 million members and managing 7.8 million insurance contracts, the Matmut Group is a major player in the French insurance market. It offers individuals, professionals, companies and associations a complete range of personal and property insurance products (car, motorbike, boat, home, liability, family protection, health, legal protection and assistance) and financial and savings services (car loans, project loans, loan insurance, savings books, life insurance). The Matmut Group currently has 6,500 employees. SGAM Matmut achieved a turnover of 2.4 billion euros in 2021. Find out more at www.matmut.fr and presse.matmut.fr
About the AKKODIS ASP Team
Created in 1999 by Jérôme Policand, the ASP team (Auto Sport Promotion) has its first successes with the Europe Clio V6 Trophy, then headed to the Porsche Carrera Cup France where they won 9 titles (driver and team) between 2003 and 2010. In 2011 they turned towards European GT3. With 7 titles and one participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Team entered a new dimension. In 2015, AKKA Technologies became the principal partner and as of that first year of collaboration, they took home two more titles in the Blancpain GT Series and GT Tour. The following year was the start of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, and in 2018, no fewer than five titles, including the all categories combined title of the Blancpain GT Series, were added to an already rich track record. In 2022, Akka Technologies fused with Modis and gave birth to Akkodis. The team became Akkodis ASP Team. Since 2015, Akkodis ASP Team has taken 30 international and national titles (including 8 in 2022), on the best tracks of the world, and won the legendary 24 hours of Spa for the first time this year, the highlight of the GT World Challenge Europe.