The2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season was the second season of theGP2 Asia Series. It began on 18 October 2008 and ended on 26 April 2009 and consisted of eleven races at six events.
On 12 July, GP2 Series organisers announced a provisional calendar for their second season. Unlike the first season of the GP2 Asia Series, this season will start prior to the new year, and be expanded to six events from the previous five. The Indonesian round has been dropped, while Bahrain earns a second event and Shanghai earns its first GP2 races. Shanghai will also host the official GP2 Asia Series test session prior to the start of the season.[31]
The sprint race of the second round of the championship – at theDubai Autodrome – was cancelled due to flooding.[32]
On 17 December, an alteration was made to the calendar, with theLosail International Circuit inQatar replacing the February meeting in Dubai. The meeting was also moved to February 12–14 because the original date on the calendar was unsuitable, due to MotoGP testing. This event introduced night racing to GP2, following the circuit's lead withMotoGP and its support classes and alsoFormula One's night race inSingapore.[33]
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.[38]
^abArden International competed under a Dutch licence.
^Zuber is an Austrian driver who competed under an Emirati racing licence.
^Chen is a Taiwan driver who competed under a United States racing licence.
^Sakon Yamamoto set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap.Javier Villa[34] was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Diego Nunes set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap.Jérôme d'Ambrosio[35] was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Álvaro Parente set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap.Nico Hülkenberg[36] was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Jérôme d'Ambrosio set the fastest time in qualifying, but did not start due to gearbox problems. The pole position remained empty on the grid.Diego Nunes was the first driver on the grid in second place. d'Ambrosio is still considered to hold the pole position.
^Javier Villa set the fastest lap, but did not finish in the top 10, so was ineligible to be the point-scorer for the fastest lap.James Jakes[37] was the point-scorer instead for setting the fastest lap of those finishing in the top 10.
^Jérôme d'Ambrosio recorded the fastest time in the time trial, but got a ten-place penalty after receiving a black flag in the previous Malaysian sprint race.Kamui Kobayashi was identified for the race pole position.