The2011 GP2 Series season was the forty-fifth season of the second-tier ofFormula One feeder championship and also seventh season under theGP2 Series moniker, the pan-European motor racing series forsingle specificationopen wheelGP2 cars. Thirteen teams competed over a nine event series that run from 7 May atIstanbul Park in Turkey to 11 September atMonza 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 reigningGP2 Asia championRomain Grosjean at thepenultimate round of the series.Luca Filippi,Jules Bianchi andCharles 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 andFabio Leimer was the other race winners.

Following a three-year cycle, the previous GP2 chassis was replaced by a brand new car, theGP2/11, built by Italian racing car manufacturerDallara. The engine configuration remained the same until the end of the2017 season, with the only modifications being to the exhaust systems.^[1] The series changed tyre supplier fromBridgestone toPirelli for 2011–13.^[2] The 2011 season saw the addition of two new teams to the grid,Carlin andTeam AirAsia.^[3] Meanwhile,DPR was not selected to continue in the series.

On 22 November 2010 it was announced thatRenault would no longer badge theirMecachromeGP2 Series engines, insteadMecachrome 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.

This section lists drivers who competed in the regular season. For the drivers who competed in the non-championship race in Abu Dhabi, see2011 GP2 Final.

Team	No.	Driver name	Rounds
Rapax[3]	1	Fabio Leimer[5]	All
	2	Julián Leal[6][a]	All
Barwa Addax Team[3]	3	Charles Pic[7]	All
	4	Giedo van der Garde[7]	All
LotusART[3][8]	5	Jules Bianchi[9]	All
	6	Esteban Gutiérrez[10]	All
Racing Engineering[3]	7	Dani Clos[11]	All
	8	Christian Vietoris[11]	1, 4–9
		Álvaro Parente[12]	2–3
iSport International[3]	9	Sam Bird[13]	All
	10	Marcus Ericsson[13]	All
DAMS[3]	11	Romain Grosjean[14]	All
	12	Pål Varhaug[14]	All
Arden International[3]	14	Josef Král[15]	All
	15	Jolyon Palmer[15]	All
Super Nova Racing[3]	16	Fairuz Fauzy[16]	All
	17	Luca Filippi[17]	1–5
		Adam Carroll[18]	6–9
Scuderia Coloni[3]	18	Michael Herck[19]	All
	19	Davide Rigon[20]	1
		Kevin Ceccon[21]	2–5
		Luca Filippi[18]	6–9
Trident Racing[3]	20	Rodolfo González[22]	All
	21	Stefano Coletti[23]	1–8
		Stéphane Richelmi[24]	9
Ocean Racing Technology[3]	22	Kevin Mirocha[25]	1–7
		Brendon Hartley[26]	8–9
	23	Johnny Cecotto Jr.[25]	All
Carlin[3]	24	Max Chilton[27]	All
	25	Mikhail Aleshin[27]	1–2, 7–8
		Oliver Turvey[28]	3
		Álvaro Parente[29]	4–6, 9
Team AirAsia (1–3) Caterham Team AirAsia (4–9)[3]	26	Luiz Razia[30]	All
	27	Davide Valsecchi[30]	All
Sources:[31][32]

• David Price Racing left GP2, whileCarlin andTeam AirAsia joined the series, filling the vacancies left by DPR andDurango (who left ahead of the2010 season).^[3]
• Lotus Cars lent its name toART Grand Prix in a similar arrangement to their sponsorship ofTakuma Sato andKV Racing Technology in theIndyCar Series, whileTeam Lotus is behind the newTeam AirAsia outfit. Aside from the name, there is no crossover between Lotus ART and Team Air Asia.^[33]

Changed teams

• Sam Bird moved toiSport International after competing in his rookie season forART Grand Prix. He partneredMarcus Ericsson, who moves over fromSuper Nova Racing.
• Johnny Cecotto Jr. switched fromTrident Racing toOcean Racing Technology, having competed for Trident in the first eight meetings of the 2010 season.
• Max Chilton moved from Ocean Racing Technology to be part ofCarlin's inaugural GP2 pairing.
• Rodolfo González returned to Trident Racing after a season with Arden International. González drove for Trident at the German round in2009.
• After driving forDPR for most of his GP2 career to date,Michael Herck moved toScuderia Coloni.
• After driving forSuper Nova Racing in his rookie season,Josef Král switched toArden International.
• Fabio Leimer moved from Ocean Racing Technology toRapax.
• Charles Pic switched fromArden International to partnerGiedo van der Garde atBarwa Addax.
• Luiz Razia moved from team's championsRapax to debutantsTeam Air Asia.Davide Valsecchi joined him after a season with iSport International.

Entering/Re-Entering GP2 Series

• Formula Renault 3.5 Series championMikhail Aleshin has extended his collaboration with Carlin for GP2, making a return to GP2 after contesting two meetings in2007 with ART Grand Prix.
• Stefano Coletti returned to the series with Trident Racing, having competed in two rounds in2009 forDurango.
• Fairuz Fauzy made his comeback to the series with Super Nova Racing, the team that Fauzy competed with in2006 and also in the2008 Asia Series.
• GP3 Series championEsteban Gutiérrez moved up to GP2 withLotusART, having raced for the team in GP3.
• Julián Leal made his debut in the series withRapax, having finished 20th in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series forInternational DracoRacing.
• After a part season in theFormula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup,Kevin Mirocha graduated into GP2 with Ocean Racing Technology.
• FIA Formula Two Championship runner-upJolyon Palmer joinedArden International.
• Davide Rigon returned to the series with Scuderia Coloni, having driven for Trident Racing in2009.
• Pål Varhaug moved up from the GP3 Series to drive forDAMS.

Leaving GP2

• 2010 championPastor Maldonado will from Rapax to compete in Formula One withWilliams alongsideRubens Barrichello.
• Jérôme d'Ambrosio left DAMS to compete in Formula One forVirgin Racing alongside former GP2 ChampionTimo Glock, having previously driven for the team during Friday practice sessions at selected events in2010.^[34]
• Sergio Pérez moved from Barwa Addax to compete inFormula One withSauber alongside formerAsia Series championKamui Kobayashi.
• Ho-Pin Tung moved to theIndyCar Series as a part-time entry withDragon Racing, and failed to qualify for the2011 Indianapolis 500.
• Alberto Valerio returned to his native Brazil to compete in theCopa Caixa Stock Car series.
• Adrian Zaugg moved toAuto GP, but completed only one event in 2011.

Midseason Changes

• 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 byKevin 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.^[35]
• 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 forMcLaren at theSpa 24 Hours.
• Prior to the round at the Nürburgring, Kevin Ceccon left Scuderia Coloni to concentrate onAuto GP. He was replaced by fellow Auto GP racer Luca Filippi from Super Nova Racing. Filippi's vacated seat was taken byAdam Carroll, who returned to the series after participating between2005 and2008. Ceccon later returned to the team for the non-championship round inAbu Dhabi.^[36]
• For the round held at Spa-Francorchamps,Brendon Hartley replacedKevin Mirocha in theOcean Racing Technology team.
• For the round held at Monza, the injuredStefano Coletti was replaced byStéphane Richelmi.

The 2011 calendar was announced on 21 December 2010. The series will consist of nine rounds, one less than in2010, as the Abu Dhabi round will return to theGP2 Asia Series and will not be replaced.^[37] It will support all the European Formula One events.^[38]

On 12 July 2011, it was announced that a non-championship round will take place inAbu Dhabi under the name2011 GP2 Final.^[39]

Round		Location	Circuit	Date	Time[40]		Tyres[b]	Supporting
					Local	UTC
1	F	Istanbul,Turkey	Istanbul Park	7 May	15:40	12:40	Medium	Turkish Grand Prix
	S			8 May	11:35	08:35
2	F	Montmeló,Spain	Circuit de Catalunya	21 May	15:40	13:40	Hard	Spanish Grand Prix
	S			22 May	10:35	08:35
3	F	Monte Carlo,Monaco	Circuit de Monaco	27 May	11:15	09:15	Super Soft	Monaco Grand Prix
	S			28 May	16:30	14:30
4	F	Valencia,Spain	Valencia Street Circuit	25 June	15:40	13:40	Soft	European Grand Prix
	S			26 June	10:35	08:35
5	F	Silverstone,Great Britain	Silverstone Circuit	9 July	14:40	13:40	Medium	British Grand Prix
	S			10 July	09:30	08:30
6	F	Nürburg,Germany	Nürburgring	23 July	15:40	13:40	Soft	German Grand Prix
	S			24 July	10:30	08:30
7	F	Mogyoród,Hungary	Hungaroring	30 July	15:40	13:40	Soft	Hungarian Grand Prix
	S			31 July	10:30	08:30
8	F	Stavelot,Belgium	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps	27 August	15:40	13:40	Medium	Belgian Grand Prix
	S			28 August	10:30	08:30
9	F	Monza,Italy	Monza Circuit	10 September	15:40	13:40	Hard	Italian Grand Prix
	S			11 September	10:30	08:30
NC	F	Yas Island,Abu Dhabi	Yas Marina Circuit	12 November	?	?	Medium	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
	S			13 November	?	?
Sources:[39][42]

Round		Circuit	Pole position	Fastest lap[43]	Winning driver	Winning team	Report
1	F	Istanbul Park	Romain Grosjean	Sam Bird	Romain Grosjean	DAMS	Report
	S			Romain Grosjean	Stefano Coletti	Trident Racing
2	F	Circuit de Catalunya	Giedo van der Garde[c]	Giedo van der Garde	Charles Pic	Barwa Addax Team	Report
	S			Charles Pic[d]	Fabio Leimer	Rapax
3	F	Circuit de Monaco	Sam Bird[e]	Davide Valsecchi	Davide Valsecchi	Team AirAsia	Report
	S			Sam Bird[f]	Charles Pic	Barwa Addax Team
4	F	Valencia Street Circuit	Charles Pic[g]	Romain Grosjean	Romain Grosjean	DAMS	Report
	S			Stefano Coletti[h]	Esteban Gutiérrez	LotusART
5	F	Silverstone Circuit	Jules Bianchi	Romain Grosjean	Jules Bianchi	LotusART	Report
	S			Stefano Coletti[i]	Romain Grosjean	DAMS
6	F	Nürburgring	Charles Pic	Luca Filippi	Luca Filippi	Scuderia Coloni	Report
	S			Christian Vietoris	Romain Grosjean	DAMS
7	F	Hungaroring	Luiz Razia	Sam Bird[j]	Romain Grosjean	DAMS	Report
	S			Romain Grosjean	Stefano Coletti	Trident Racing
8	F	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps	Christian Vietoris	Julián Leal[k]	Christian Vietoris	Racing Engineering	Report
	S			Marcus Ericsson[l]	Luca Filippi	Scuderia Coloni
9	F	Monza Circuit	Charles Pic	Luca Filippi	Luca Filippi	Scuderia Coloni	Report
	S			Luca Filippi	Christian Vietoris	Racing Engineering
NC	F	Yas Marina Circuit	Fabio Leimer	Fabio Leimer	Fabio Leimer	Racing Engineering	Report
	S			Luiz Razia	James Calado	LotusART
Source:[44]

Scoring system

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.^[32]

Feature race points

Sprint race points

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.^[32]

Pos Driver IST CAT MON VAL SIL NÜR HUN SPA MNZ Points 1 Romain Grosjean 1 10 DSQ 9 4 3 1 Ret 4 1 3 1 1 3 3 4 3 21 89 2 Luca Filippi Ret 14 Ret Ret 3 4 Ret 15 13 12 1 3 6 Ret 4 1 1 5 54 3 Jules Bianchi 3 7 7 Ret Ret 19 Ret 7 1 5 4 2 7 6 2 2 8 3 53 4 Charles Pic 7 4 1 19 8 1 Ret Ret 11 10 2 DSQ 2 13 Ret 19 2 Ret 52 5 Giedo van der Garde 4 2 2 Ret Ret 9 2 3 8 3 6 Ret 4 4 Ret 20 21 13 49 6 Sam Bird 2 3 3 5 Ret 13 5 12 5 6 8 7 17 5 12 5 4 4 45 7 Christian Vietoris 11 Ret Ret 13 2 7 Ret 4 8 10 1 13 6 1 35 8 Davide Valsecchi 16 16 4 4 1 5 3 4 14 17 13 Ret 16 14 10 10 20 Ret 30 9 Dani Clos 8 15 6 2 Ret 18 4 5 6 2 7 Ret 10 Ret 6 6 13 7 30 10 Marcus Ericsson 9 8 5 3 Ret Ret Ret 11 3 4 5 16† 5 16 Ret 12 14 8 25 11 Stefano Coletti 5 1 10 20† 5 Ret 17 19† 7 22 Ret Ret 21 1 Ret DNS 22 12 Luiz Razia 6 18 Ret Ret Ret 20 6 2 17 14 Ret 14 3 7 Ret Ret 10 9 19 13 Esteban Gutiérrez Ret 11 Ret 12 12 DNS 7 1 10 8 12 Ret Ret 2 14 7 9 6 15 14 Fabio Leimer Ret 20 8 1 9 7 Ret 14 15 11 DSQ 8 11 11 Ret Ret 7 2 15 15 Josef Král 13 6 9 21† 6 2 8 Ret 23 20 18 11 9 17 8 3 Ret 17 15 16 Álvaro Parente 11 7 2 16 Ret 18 9 9 20† Ret 12 12 8 17 Adam Carroll 15 5 19 12 9 11 5 11 6 18 Fairuz Fauzy 12 5 14 6 15† 10 16 16 21 15 16 12 Ret Ret 7 21 18 Ret 5 19 Brendon Hartley 5 9 22 20 4 20 Max Chilton Ret 17 12 11 7 6 Ret Ret Ret 19 17 6 18 Ret 15 16 Ret 18 4 21 Michael Herck 14 12 Ret Ret 13 15 10 6 24 18 11 10 12 Ret 16 15 Ret DNS 1 22 Kevin Mirocha 15† 19 21† 16 10 Ret 12 8 DNS DNS Ret 13 14 8 0 23 Pål Varhaug 18 21 15 8 Ret 21 13 10 16 23 Ret 17 13 Ret 13 18 11 10 0 24 Johnny Cecotto Jr. Ret 13 14 13 Ret 17 14 17 12 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 11 8 17 15 0 25 Oliver Turvey 14 8 0 26 Rodolfo González Ret 22 20 10 Ret 14 15 Ret 18 13 9 15 Ret 9 Ret 17 19 16 0 27 Julián Leal 19 Ret 17 14 Ret Ret 11 9 22 21 14 9 20 Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret 0 28 Jolyon Palmer 17 9 18 17 NC 11 9 Ret 20 16 19 Ret 22 18† Ret 14 Ret 19 0 29 Davide Rigon 10 Ret 0 30 Kevin Ceccon 19 15 11 12 18 20† 19 Ret 0 31 Stéphane Richelmi 15 14 0 32 Mikhail Aleshin DNS DNS 16 18 15 15 Ret Ret 0 Pos Driver IST CAT MON VAL SIL NÜR HUN SPA MNZ Points Sources:[32][45]

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Notes:

• † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Pos Team No. IST CAT MON VAL SIL NÜR HUN SPA MNZ Points 1 Barwa Addax Team 3 7 4 1 19 8 1 Ret Ret 11 10 2 DSQ 2 13 Ret 19 2 Ret 101 4 4 2 2 Ret Ret 9 2 3 8 3 6 Ret 4 4 Ret 20 21 13 2 DAMS 11 1 10 DSQ 9 4 3 1 Ret 4 1 3 1 1 3 3 4 3 21 89 12 18 21 15 8 Ret 21 13 10 16 23 Ret 17 13 Ret 13 18 11 10 3 Racing Engineering 7 8 15 6 2 Ret 18 4 5 6 2 7 Ret 10 Ret 6 6 13 7 73 8 11 Ret 11 7 2 16 Ret 13 2 7 Ret 4 8 10 1 13 6 1 4 iSport International 9 2 3 3 5 Ret 13 5 12 5 6 8 7 17 5 12 5 4 4 70 10 9 8 5 3 Ret Ret Ret 11 3 4 5 16† 5 16 Ret 12 14 8 5 LotusART 5 3 7 7 Ret Ret 19 Ret 7 1 5 4 2 7 6 2 2 8 3 68 6 Ret 11 Ret 12 12 DNS 7 1 10 8 12 Ret Ret 2 14 7 9 6 6 Team AirAsia (1–3) Caterham Team AirAsia (4–9) 26 6 18 Ret Ret Ret 20 6 2 17 14 Ret 14 3 7 Ret Ret 10 9 49 27 16 16 4 4 1 5 3 4 14 17 13 Ret 16 14 10 10 20 Ret 7 Scuderia Coloni 18 14 12 Ret Ret 13 15 10 6 24 18 11 10 12 Ret 16 15 Ret DNS 46 19 10 Ret 19 15 11 12 18 20† 19 Ret 1 3 6 Ret 4 1 1 5 8 Trident Racing 20 Ret 22 17 10 Ret 14 15 Ret 18 13 9 15 Ret 9 Ret 17 19 16 22 21 5 1 10 20† 5 Ret 17 19† 7 22 Ret Ret 21 1 Ret DNS 15 14 9 Super Nova Racing 16 12 5 13 6 15† 10 16 16 21 15 16 12 Ret Ret 7 21 18 Ret 20 17 Ret 14 Ret Ret 3 4 Ret 15 13 12 15 5 19 12 9 11 5 11 10 Rapax 1 Ret 20 8 1 9 7 Ret 14 15 11 DSQ 8 11 11 Ret Ret 7 2 15 2 19 Ret 17 14 Ret Ret 11 9 22 21 14 9 20 Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret 11 Arden International 14 13 6 9 21† 6 2 8 Ret 23 20 18 11 9 17 8 3 Ret 17 15 15 17 9 18 17 NC 11 9 Ret 20 16 19 Ret 22 18† Ret 14 Ret 19 12 Ocean Racing Technology 22 15† 19 21† 16 10 Ret 12 8 DNS DNS Ret 13 14 8 5 9 22 20 4 23 Ret 13 14 13 Ret 17 14 17 12 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 11 8 17 15 13 Carlin 24 Ret 17 12 11 7 6 Ret Ret Ret 19 17 6 18 Ret 15 16 Ret 18 4 25 DNS DNS 16 18 14 8 Ret 18 9 9 20† Ret 15 15 Ret Ret 12 12 Pos Team No. IST CAT MON VAL SIL NÜR HUN SPA MNZ Points Sources:[32][45]

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Other points position Blue Other classified position Not classified, finished (NC) Purple Not classified, retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrawn (WD) Text formatting Meaning Bold Pole position point(s) Italics Fastest lap point(s)

Notes:

• † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

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