Étienne Cheli and Enzo Joulié take French GT4 Silver Cup
Another title for the GR Supra GT4 EVO
Impressions
Étienne Cheli and Enzo Joulié scored maximum points with their GR Supra GT4 EVO in the season finale at Circuit Paul Ricard to snatch a GT4 France title on a dramatic weekend.
The two youngsters, driving for the Matmut Évolution team, started the final weekend of the season 26 points behind in the Silver Cup rankings, but turned that around with two pole positions and two race wins in the Silver Cup to take the crown.
“Congratulations to Étienne Cheli, Enzo Joulié and the entire Matmut Évolution team for winning the French GT4 Silver Cup,” said Hendrik Schietzel, Manager Customer Racing at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe in Cologne. “Their sensational recovery shows once again that anything is possible in motorsport and that you should never give up. Throughout the season, the team has demonstrated the competitiveness of the GR Supra GT4 EVO with strong performances and outstanding results. Following the success in GT4 Scandinavia, this marks the second title for our upgraded GR Supra GT4 which, together with more race wins around the world, underlines the positive steps we have taken together with our customers.”
Étienne Cheli, 21, and Enzo Joulié, 19, stood on the podium in nine of the 12 races this year, earning three pole positions and three race wins. They started the season at the front, winning from pole on the opening weekend at Nogaro. In the second round in Magny-Cours, the Matmut Évolution pair finished second in their #9 car in both races, while at Dijon-Prenois they finished second and third. After third place at Val de Vienne and second at Lédenon, Cheli and Joulié travelled to the finale at Paul Ricard lying second in the standings. But victory in the night race and additional points for pole reduced the gap to just nine points going into the final race of the year. They took full advantage of the opportunity and crowned themselves champions with their third win of the season.
Matmut Évolution enjoyed strong results with two other GR Supra GT4 EVO cars this season as well. Gabriela Jílková and Lucile Cypriano (#16), the only all-female team in the championship, moved up to third in the Pro-Am standings thanks to third place in their class at the second Paul Ricard race. Team-mates Jim Pla and Jean-Luc Beaubelique (#87), who also compete in Pro-Am, ended the year in fourth overall.
For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, this year's success in the Silver Cup represents a second title win in the FFSA GT4 France. In the GR Supra GT4’s debut season in 2020, Wilfried Cazalbon and César Gazeau won the Am Cup with the original version of the GR Supra GT4.
Information about the GR Supra GT4 EVO from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is available online at https://gr-supra-gt4.com.
Copyright-free, high-resolution photos are available on TGR-E's media website: www.tgr-europe-newsroom.com.
The latest news, photos and videos from all TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's motorsport projects are available on the global media website: https://toyotagazooracing.com/media/.
A German version of this press release can be found as a PDF in the download section of this news article.
About TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe:
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe has been based in Cologne, Germany since 1979 and built its reputation in motorsport, beginning with two decades of FIA World Rally Championship success. TGR-E's facilities and capabilities expanded significantly during its time in Formula 1 (2002-2009). Since the end of that era, TGR-E has combined works motorsport participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA World Rally Championship with research and development support for TOYOTA Motor Corporation and a thriving business as a supplier of high-performance services. Additionally, TGR-E has built a growing customer motorsport business covering activities in rally and circuit racing www.tgr-europe.com.