The Jeddah Corniche Circuit offers an exceptional view of the Red Sea. From turns where you have to manage your pressure with expertise, to those that are for the most part blind, it’s one of the more atypical tracks. The second fastest track of the season (after Monza), with an average speed of approximately 170km/h per lap, and the second longest (after Spa), the Jeddah Corniche also names itself the fastest urban track in the world.
For Matmut Évolution as for many other teams and drivers, it was a weekend of discovery. It was time to take stock of the new terrain and so came the first lap times. The free practice session finished with a P12 (P10 Silver) for Enzo Joulié and Etienne Cheli (#9), and the P9 Pro-AM for Gabriela Jilkova and Cindy Gudet. The Pre-qualifying session went a little less well, with 15th in Silver for the #9 and 11th for the #66.
With 34 cars on track, the qualifying sessions were split into two groups and relentless attention was paid to the track limits. In Q1, Etienne Cheli set 15th time in Silver (P21 overall), while Gabriela Jilkova was P8 Pro-AM, on the 13th row of the grid. A few minutes later in Q2, Enzo Joulié finished P12 Silver and overall, while Cindy Gudet scored 6th best time in Pro-AM (P23 overall).
Race 1 – In the points and at the foot of the podium
The first race of this final racing weekend of 2024 took place at night, on a track lit by 2000 LED panels, providing perfect visibility. Meanwhile, the temperature was still hovering around 26°C at 10pm.
It was a delicate start, with multiple cars driving abreast between the low walls that demarcate the track, making driving quite a gamble. A few contacts, doors rubbing against doors, and a bigger incident materialise in the first lap, forcing the safety car to come on track. Having had a good start, Etienne Cheli (#9) was P17, and Gabriela Jilkova (#66) P23. This first interruption was followed by a second at the halfway mark, pushing back the driver change window by a few minutes. Taking some more positions, the #9 was P11 Silver (P15 overall) and #66 P7 Pro-AM (P19 overall). The restart released the pack once more with 27 minutes to go. It rained down track limit warnings for the first part of the race, and after five warnings, the sixth was a penalty. This did not make the job any easier for the drivers at the wheel for the second stint.
Now at the wheel, Enzo Joulié (#9) and Cindy Gudet (#66) went into attack mode to climb up the classification. The battle was fierce and the gaps were very small. This open fight was punctuated by a few penalties, and as the chequered flag fell, the classification was a bit disrupted. Finally, Enzo Joulié was classified P10 Silver (P11 overall) and Cindy Gudet P4 Pro-AM, at the foot of the podium (P17 overall). The two Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo were in the points.
Race 2 – Top 10 Silver and P6 Pro-AM
On Saturday the race took place mid-day and the thermometer displayed 30°C. Starting from P11 and P21 respectively, Enzo Joulié (#9) and Cindy Gudet (#66) did not get caught out in the first chicane’s funnel or the relatively sinuous first sector. Carried along by her enthusiasm, Cindy won a position in Pro-AM but also received a track limit warning at the same time.
With 49’ to go, an incident with a car going off track required the safety car to intervene. The traffic was regulated for 16 minutes, and at the restart, the final sprint of the season was launched. Although at the front of the field they were fighting for the title, the battle in the pack was no less intense as they fought for one final podium.
At the driver change and after an excellent pitstop, Etienne Cheli (#66) was in P10 and Gabriela Jilkova P6 Pro-Am (P19 overall). The last laps followed at a sustained pace. Daring overtaking manoeuvres, collisions with the walls and unprompted run-offs punctuated the final minutes.
On the finish line, Etienne Cheli was P9 Silver and overall, and Gabriela Jilkova P6 Pro-AM (P19 overall). It was very satisfying for Cindy Gudet, who was crowned best rookie on this final race.
The 2024 season has come to a conclusion. In the Silver Cup category, Enzo Joulié and Etienne Cheli finished in 7th place in the driver’s championship, as did Matmut Évolution in the team classification. In Pro-AM, the 100% female crew, Gabriel Jilkova and Cindy Gudet, finished the season in 6th place, as did the team.
See you next time in 2025, at the Paul Ricard Circuit on the 12th and 13th of April.
