GP2 2011 calendar unveiled

The GP2 series has published its calendar for the next season, consisting of nine weekends of races supporting the Formula 1 Grand Prix events.

After the damp squib finish to the 2010 season - which saw the series take a nine-week hiatus before being recalled to action at Abu Dhabi despite the key titles having been decided previously - the series has decided to move the final event at Yas Marina to the GP2 Asia series, and instead make the GP2 season climax coincide with the visit to Monaz in September.

The series will start in Istanbul on the weekend of 7/8 May, and all the year's events will take place in Europe. There will be two pre-season tests held in April, the first at Silverstone and the second in Barcelona.

Thirteen teams will be competing, with Carlin and Team Air Asia taking part for the first time. ART Grand Prix has also been renamed Lotus ART following its partnership with Lotus Group, in line with the marque's growing involvement in motorsport around the world.

Tests

5/6 April Silverstone, Great Britain19/20 April Barcelona, Spain

Race weekends

7/8 May Istanbul Turkey21/22 May Barcelona, Spain27/28 May Monte Carlo, Monaco25/26 June Valencia, Spain9/10 July Silverstone, Great Britain23/24 July Nurburgring, Germany30/31 July Budapest, Hungary27/28 August Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium10/11 September Monza, Italy

Participating teams and car numbers

Cars 1 and 2 Rapax (Italy)Cars 3 and 4 Barwa Addax Team (Spain)Cars 5 and 6 Lotus ART (France)Cars 7 and 8 Racing Engineering (Spain)Cars 9 and 10 iSport International (Great Britain)Cars 11 and 12 DAMS (France)Cars 14 and 15 Arden International (Great Britain)Cars 16 and 17 Super Nova Racing (Great Britain)Cars 18 and 19 Scuderia Coloni (Italy)Cars 20 and 21 Trident Racing (Italy)Cars 22 and 23 Ocean Racing Technology (Portugal)Cars 24 and 25 Carlin (Great Britain)Cars 26 and 27 Team Air Asia (Malaysia)