The 2011 GP2 Series season was the forty-fifth season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also seventh season under the GP2 Series moniker, the pan-European motor racing series for single specificationopen wheelGP2 cars. Thirteen teams competed over a nine event series that run from 7 May at Istanbul Park in Turkey to September 11 at Monza in Italy. The series again performed the role of a series for developing emerging young drivers, acting as the principal supporting motor racing series that fills in time between sessions of the nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix that are held in Europe. The championship was won by reigning GP2 Asia champion Romain Grosjean at the penultimate round of the series. Luca Filippi, Jules Bianchi and Charles Pic were all divided just by two points in their battle for the second, third and fourth places respectively. Christian Vietoris, Davide Valsecchi, Stefano Coletti, Esteban Gutiérrez and Fabio Leimer was the other race winners.
Following a three-year cycle, the previous GP2 chassis was replaced by a brand new car, the GP2/11, built by Italian racing car manufacturer Dallara. The engine configuration remained the same until the end of the 2017 season, with the only modifications being to the exhaust systems.[1] The series changed tyre supplier from Bridgestone to Pirelli for 2011–13.[2] The 2011 season saw the addition of two new teams to the grid, Carlin and Team AirAsia.[3] Meanwhile, DPR was not selected to continue in the series.
On 22 November 2010 it was announced that Renault would no longer badge their MecachromeGP2 Series engines, instead Mecachrome would run its own engine program from 2011 onwards.[4]
All GP2 Series cars had a reverse gear for the first time in the series.
Teams and drivers
This section lists drivers who competed in the regular season. For the drivers who competed in the non-championship race in Abu Dhabi, see 2011 GP2 Final.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion Mikhail Aleshin has extended his collaboration with Carlin for GP2, making a return to GP2 after contesting two meetings in 2007 with ART Grand Prix.
Stefano Coletti returned to the series with Trident Racing, having competed in two rounds in 2009 for Durango.
Fairuz Fauzy made his comeback to the series with Super Nova Racing, the team that Fauzy competed with in 2006 and also in the 2008 Asia Series.
Jérôme d'Ambrosio left DAMS to compete in Formula One for Virgin Racing alongside former GP2 Champion Timo Glock, having previously driven for the team during Friday practice sessions at selected events in 2010.[32]
A number of midseason changes were also made during the season, to replace other drivers. Scuderia Coloni's Davide Rigon suffered stable fractures of the tibia and fibula in an accident with Julián Leal in Istanbul. He was replaced by Kevin Ceccon in Montmeló and Monaco after Vietoris' accident in Istanbul left him suffering from severe headaches. He continued with his campaign in DTM despite this, and returned to GP2 in time for the Valencia round.[33]
For Monaco, Oliver Turvey made his return to the category, replacing Mikhail Aleshin at Carlin. Turvey was later replaced by Álvaro Parente in Valencia. Aleshin returned at the Hungaroring, as Parente had a prior commitment to compete for McLaren at the Spa 24 Hours.
Prior to the round at the Nürburgring, Kevin Ceccon left Scuderia Coloni to concentrate on Auto GP. He was replaced by fellow Auto GP racer Luca Filippi from Super Nova Racing. Filippi's vacated seat was taken by Adam Carroll, who returned to the series after participating between 2005 and 2008. Ceccon later returned to the team for the non-championship round in Abu Dhabi.[34]
The 2011 calendar was announced on 21 December 2010. The series will consist of nine rounds, one less than in 2010, as the Abu Dhabi round will return to the GP2 Asia Series and will not be replaced.[35] It will support all the European Formula One events.[36]
On 12 July 2011, it was announced that a non-championship round will take place in Abu Dhabi under the name 2011 GP2 Final.[37]
Points are awarded to the top 8 classified finishers in the Feature race, and to the top 6 classified finishers in the Sprint race. The pole-sitter in the feature race will also receive two points, and one point is given to the driver who set the fastest lap inside the top ten in both the feature and sprint races. No extra points are awarded to the pole-sitter in the sprint race.
† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.
Notes
^Leal is a Colombian driver who competed under an Italian racing licence in rounds 1–4.
^Pirelli supplied only one dry compound to the teams to be used throughout the race weekend.[39]
^Jules Bianchi recorded the fastest time in qualifying, but got a ten-place penalty for disregarding yellow flags. Giedo van der Garde was recognised as the pole-sitter for the race.
^Charles Pic set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Fabio Leimer was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Giedo van der Garde recorded the fastest time in qualifying, but got a five-place penalty for causing a collision. Sam Bird was recognised as the pole-sitter for the race.
^Sam Bird set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Romain Grosjean was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Stefano Coletti set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Esteban Gutiérrez was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Stefano Coletti set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Romain Grosjean was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Sam Bird set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Luca Filippi was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Julián Leal set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Christian Vietoris was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Marcus Ericsson set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap. Luca Filippi was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
