Czech racer Gabriela Jílková has spent the better part of two decades proving that sheer determination can beat almost anything—including a broken back, financial ruin, and the kind of setbacks that would make most people hang up their helmet for good.

EARLY YEARS

Born April 2, 1995, in the Czech Republic, Gabriela didn’t exactly grow up with racing in her blood—at least not in the way you’d think. Her father had raced motorcycles before she was born, but he wasn’t one of those pushy motorsports dads living vicariously through their kids. The fire to race? That was all hers.

At five years old, she’d been pestering her parents relentlessly to let her try karting. When they finally gave in and let her climb into a rental kart, that was it. “When I was five I first sat in a go-kart… it was purely my decision,” she said later. Still, competitive karting would have to wait. It wasn’t until she turned twelve that Jílková began racing karts seriously, launching what would become a career defined as much by grit as by speed.

OTHER INTERESTS

When COVID-19 shut down the racing world in 2020, Gabriela did what a lot of racers did—she went digital. Adopting the screen name “QuickGabi,” she tried her hand at sim racing with some success. It was a fitting nickname; speed has always been her calling card.

She’s also been known to take advantage of her Porsche connections for the occasional road trip. In 2025, she drove a Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo through the Dolomites, describing it as a welcome change of pace from the intensity of competition. Even off the track, it seems, she can’t resist getting behind the wheel.

EARLY SUCCESS

Jílková’s jump from karting to single-seaters was swift—and spectacular. In her first season racing Formula Star, she won the title outright, outshining hundreds of competitors. That victory was more than just a trophy; it was a lifeline. “I won the competition, and so I could move on. And actually, in that first season, I won the title in the single-seater race, which made it easier for me to get sponsors,” she explained. Without those sponsors, her family—who had been struggling to finance the brutal costs of speed car racing, crew, and equipment—might not have been able to keep her racing dreams alive.

In 2012, she moved up to the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, finishing 53rd. The following year, 2013, brought better results: fifth in the Remus Formula Renault 2.0 Cup, ninth in the Supercar Challenge Superlights PR1 category, and two third-place podiums at Assen driving a Praga-Renault in the Superlights class. Progress was happening. Momentum was building.

And then everything came crashing down—literally.

In 2014, at just 19 years old, Gabriela was involved in a multi-car crash during a Formula Renault 2.0 race at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. She broke her seventh vertebra and was immobilized for months. The injury didn’t just sideline her physically; it obliterated her career trajectory. Sponsors vanished. Opportunities dried up. “I was happy to just be racing, but it made it so hard to compete properly… no results means no sponsors. It was a bit of a vicious circle,” she said.

For seven years, Gabriela gave driving lessons to make ends meet. Seven years. Most racers would have called it quits. She didn’t.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2013: Third place finishes in two races at Assen, Supercar Challenge Superlights, driving a Praga-Renault.
• 2013: Fifth overall in the Remus Formula Renault 2.0 Cup.
• 2017: Competed in a partial season of the Clio Cup.
• 2019: Sixth place at Brno in the 24H GT Series, co-driving a KTM X-Bow with Milan Kodidek.
• 2019: Served as test driver for the Gumpert RG Nathalie, a track-edition fuel-cell car.
• 2020: Attempted to join the W Series but was unsuccessful; the series was later cancelled that year.
• 2021: Won the GT Winter Series championship at Portimao, driving a Mercedes AMG GT3 for Zakspeed. After finishing second and third in the first three races, she won the final two outright from pole position to secure the title.
• 2023: Third overall in the GT4 Pro-Am class of the FFSA GT Championship, co-driving a Toyota Supra with Lucile Cypriano for the all-female Matmut Évolution team; scored six podiums including a second-place finish at Val de Vienne.
• 2023: Competed in the ADAC GT4 Germany series.
• 2025: Fourth place at Zandvoort Circuit in the GT4 European Series Pro-Am class on May 17, racing for Matmut Evolution; the team sits sixth in the championship standings.
• Undated: Nearly won the Targa Florio, leading the race unknowingly in an underpowered car. Hit stones on the final lap and finished fifth overall, but won the private individual category.

INSPIRATIONS

Gabriela has kept her influences largely to herself. Her father’s motorcycle racing background was acknowledged but not central to her decision to race. The drive to compete came from within—a five-year-old’s relentless insistence that turned into a lifetime pursuit.

REPUTATION

Jílková is widely regarded as one of the Czech Republic’s best racing drivers, a reputation built not just on talent but on resilience. Known by the nickname “Quick Gaby,” she’s earned respect for her ability to adapt quickly, particularly in GT4 competition. “I love the challenge of the GT4 European Series,” she’s said, and the results back up her enthusiasm.

Her work with Porsche has further cemented her standing. She currently holds contracts as both a Porsche development driver and a test driver for the Porsche Formula E team—a role she’s described herself as being very positive about. Based in Germany, she’s deeply embedded in the European racing scene and continues to build her profile, including a growing social media presence.

Media coverage of Jílková tends to emphasize her comebacks and pioneering spirit, particularly her involvement with all-female racing teams like Matmut Évolution. She’s been interviewed on the subject of women in motorsport, and while she hasn’t positioned herself as an outspoken activist, her career itself—marked by persistence through injury, financial hardship, and the slow grind back to the top—speaks volumes.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Gabriela’s 2025 season is already underway. After finishing fourth at Zandvoort on May 17 in the GT4 European Series Pro-Am class with Matmut Evolution, her next race is scheduled for June 26–29 at Spa-Francorchamps. She remains a contract driver for Porsche and continues her development work with the Porsche Formula E team—a stage she’s embraced with optimism.

What comes after that? She hasn’t said publicly. But if history is any guide, Gabriela Jílková will keep showing up, keep racing, and keep proving that the best revenge is a podium finish.

References:

Czech Center Blog – Gabriela Jílková Profile
Speedqueens – Gabriela Jílková Career Timeline
Radio Prague International – Interview with Gabriela Jílková
Akkodis-ASP Team – Gabriela Jílková Bio
GT4 European Series News – Q&A with Gabriela Jílková
Formula E Wiki – Gabriela Jílková
Women Who Race – Gabriela Jílková
Porsche Newsroom – Taycan Road Trip to the Dolomites