The GP2 calendar will support F1 races at the Bahrain, Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix in 2012.
With the GP2 Asia series ending this year, the main GP2 series will add four Asian races to its schedule. Three of these will support F1 races, plus an additional round will be held in Bahrain the week after the F1 race.
The series will be making its debut at Singapore. GP2 cars last raced at Sepang in 2009 as part of the GP2 Asia series.
GP2 will continue to support all the European rounds of the F1 championship. The total number of races will increase from 18 to 24.
GP2 Series CEO Bruno Michel said: “GP2 being the natural and logical path to Formula 1, it is imperative that our calendar carries as many F1 tracks as possible including tracks outside Europe which is why we added Bahrain, Sepang and Singapore this season. However, the series has also to remain affordable, therefore we did not want to add more overseas circuits.
“Racing on eleven F1 tracks in 2012 with a car close to F1 in performance and using the same tyres, GP2 drivers will gain as much experience as possible which will enable them to be immediately competitive in the next category as previously demonstrated by all our graduates. We have also made sure that we remain affordable by working together with our partners in order to keep down freight and spare parts costs.
“I am glad that we will be going back to Kuala Lumpur: we’ve seen during the Asia Series some very exciting races there. It is a splendid venue to open a new chapter of our Series which includes new sporting regulations.
“We’ve always raced in Bahrain since the inception of our Series – Nico Rosberg won both races in 2005. We will close our season in Singapore. It will be the first time ever that our Series goes there. It is very exciting!”
Here is the 2012 GP2 calendar in full:
| Round | Race | Circuit | Date |
| 1 | Malaysia | Sepang International Circuit | March 23rd-25th |
| 2 | Bahrain | Bahrain International Circuit | April 20th-22nd |
| 3 | Bahrain | Bahrain International Circuit | April 26th-28th |
| 4 | Spain | Circuit de Catalunya | May 11-13th |
| 5 | Monaco | Monte-Carlo | May 24-26th |
| 6 | Europe | Valencia | June 22nd-24th |
| 7 | Britain | Silverstone | July 6-8th |
| 8 | Germany | Hockenheimring | July 20th-22nd |
| 9 | Hungary | Hungaroring | July 27-29th |
| 10 | Belgium | Spa-Francorchamps | August 31st-September 2nd |
| 11 | Italy | Monza | September 7-9th |
| 12 | Singapore | Marina Bay | September 21st-23rd |
Keep track of all the car launch, test sessions, races and more with the F1 Fanatic Google Calendar
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
16th December 2011, 9:43
It’s great that they’ve expanded, but I was honestly hoping for (and expecting) a few more races. I was so excited by the prospect of seeing them in Melbourne so I’m a bit disappointed. The only new circuit they’ve added is Singapore, really. I’m not sure what the appeal of Bahrain is either.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 9:47
@damonsmedley The FIA are getting behind Bahrain in a big way: as well as reinstating the F1 race it’s been given a round of the revived World Endurance Championship (preposterously, it originally clashed with the Petit Le Mans – this has now been changed) and it’s been added to the under-18 Karting World Championship.
And now GP2 are going there not once, but twice. Never mind that the last time they went – just last February – they had to high-tail it out of the country as the tanks started rolling in.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
16th December 2011, 9:50
Obviously someone over there is paying a lot of money. The reputation of the country has been tarnished recently so it’s not surprising to see they’re trying to get as much publicity through sport as possible. That doesn’t mean I agree with it, however.
BasCB (@bascb)
20th December 2011, 18:40
I must say, the the scary tweets from Buxton and some GP2 Aisa team members were the first that came to mind when I first learn about this calendar @keithcollantine
Must be a lot of support from Bahrain for Todt, with the vice president etc.
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve)
16th December 2011, 10:51
i’m not sure they have the pits to fit the GP2 cars in Melbourne.. i could be wrong
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
16th December 2011, 10:56
Melbourne has the V8 Supercars, Carrera Cup, V8 Utes, Formula Ford, and Touring Car Masters as support events. If you got rid of the utes, Formula Ford and TCM, you could probably make enough space for GP2.
tandrews (@tomand95)
16th December 2011, 11:21
I was at the Melbourne GP this year and like you said there is hardly enough track time to fit in another series. I would love to see GP2 in my hometown, but the organisers would have to drop some events.
V8’s are great but they dont race for championship points, but they are the secondary act behind F1. I would be happy just to see F1,GP2 and the V8 as the line up, instead of wasting time with events like the celebrity challenge.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
16th December 2011, 13:04
Get rid of the celebrity challenge and the utes, I say. In fact, @Prisoner-Monkeys, are you sure the utes are racing there? They’re not listed on the official Australian Grand Prix website as a support category. I don’t think the Touring Car Masters race there either, but the Tasman revival series (F5000) has been there for the last few years. Actually, the support categories at the Melbourne Grand Prix have been thinning out over the last few years and I definitely think they could squeeze GP2 in somewhere.
Alex W
18th December 2011, 11:18
I think the celebrity race should be the F1 drivers, all in equal V6 commodores…
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 12:32
James Calado’s not impressed:
http://twitter.com/JamesCalado/statuses/147652033883811840
ajokay (@)
16th December 2011, 12:35
Bahrain are really trying to hammer home the point that they feel everything is fine and dandy, aren’t they.
“We’ll have TWO races this year! That’ll show ’em!”
They better race on two different layouts if they’re going to do that.
plutoniumhunter (@plutoniumhunter)
16th December 2011, 12:59
Reverse?
Fixy (@)
16th December 2011, 18:21
Bahrain twice? Stupid. True, they don’t need to move, but apart from the fact Sakhir isn’t exactly a great circuit, and the ongoing protests put the races in doubt, there is no need to have an extra round there. Heck, I’d have preferred 11 rounds but each on a different circuit. If they use a different layout, fine, but otherwise it will be redundant. I’m also saddened that the circuits they chose aren’t the best ones. I’d have loved Melbourne to be there, and Interlagos (although the break would be too big between it and Monza).
Jasonyeo
16th December 2011, 9:48
I’m so excited about GP2 coming Singapore ’cause I’m a race official next year!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 9:49
That is definitely the best part of the announcement! I think those could be two very entertaining races. Pity the lap time will be so high, though.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
16th December 2011, 10:34
@keithcollantine
Don’t you mean “chaotic”?
George (@george)
16th December 2011, 15:46
@keithcollantine @prisoner-monkeys
Yeah, the first thing I thought of when I heard ‘GP2’ and ‘Singapore’ was ‘Crashfest’
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
16th December 2011, 9:50
I am happy that instead of having a separate series they are going everywhere where F1 goes (like Moto 2 does in Moto Gp) not sure why they won’t go to China?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 9:55
@wasiF1 As Michel indicates in the article, it’s probably down to costs.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
16th December 2011, 9:52
Darn, I was really hoping they would come to Melbourne.
Macca (@macca)
16th December 2011, 10:22
I wish they would come to Australia
natkid (@natkid)
16th December 2011, 10:28
welcome back to Malaysia :)
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
16th December 2011, 10:57
Of the new rounds, Malaysia is probably the only choice that I like. I think the calendar should have added Melbourne, Malaysia, India and Austin instead of Malaysia, double-Bahrain and Singapore. I just think it would have made for a more-balanced calendar.
Katz
16th December 2011, 11:12
Is it gonna be on a UK TV channel?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 11:23
All we know so far is it’s not going to be on Eurosport:
https://www.racefans.net/groups/gp3/forum/topic/eurosport-to-show-gp3-in-the-uk-in-2011/
It seems likely Sky will cover it in some form, but whether that will be all races live or something else is not clear.
Katz
16th December 2011, 13:28
Ta.
disjunto (@disjunto)
16th December 2011, 13:33
I hope so, but probably not. Broadcasters don’t seem to care about it, Eurosport’s coverage last season was awful, not sure who else is able to show it.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
16th December 2011, 22:25
@disjunto I was really excited about this time last year as I had invested in Virgin Media so knew I was going to get Eurosport. A shame they couldn’t be bothered with GP2 and GP3. I really hope someone picks it up live.
Fisha695 (@fisha695)
16th December 2011, 11:25
I wonder if come 2013 if they’re gonna be on the card for 1 or both of the US races. Or if we’re gonna be stuck with like Star Mazda, USF2000, and/or one of the other 500 spec Junior Formula Series we have here. As much as I love American Open-Wheel Racing we have so many slightly different versions of like 5 or 6 core Jr Formula series over here that it just leaves rag-tag uncompetitive fields.
Gagnon (@johnniewalker)
16th December 2011, 11:26
I did hope that GP2 come in CANADA, must be really good to watch em fighting in the first turn or in the Bonjour Quebec chicane….. but maybe they will do it when we got sure about american grand prix so they can do both event in 2 week interval without changing conitinent..
plutoniumhunter (@plutoniumhunter)
16th December 2011, 13:05
Yep, would be nice to see some guys take on the Wall of Champions!
Tango (@tango)
16th December 2011, 14:52
GP2 are not scared of overtaking in Monaco (this year’s race were really nice, Grosjean and Pic were awesome). I’d love to see them take on the wall of champions… But it would be terrifying.
Eggry (@eggry)
16th December 2011, 12:05
Now I want them to come to Korea…
Paulocreed (@paulocreed)
16th December 2011, 14:04
Did anyone else notice that they’re racing in bahrain twice?
2 Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit April 20th-22nd
3 Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit April 26th-28th
Is this correct?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
16th December 2011, 14:19
From the article:
Paulocreed (@paulocreed)
16th December 2011, 17:40
Oops, I guess I missed that. thanks
Shak Zan
16th December 2011, 15:45
If all you want to watch F1 or GP2, in a modest but good internet streaming, just visit escuderiatelmex.com, even though it´s in Spanish
dizzy
16th December 2011, 18:32
If Bahrain is able to go ahead Im actually fairly pleased there will be 2 GP2 races there as all GP2 races on the original layout have been awesome, loads of great battles, tons of overtaking & a lot of very close, competitive racing.
GP2 really proved just how badly the new section harmed the racing in 2010 as they put on 2 fantastic races on the original layout & then 2 weeks later the same cars/drivers put on 2 awfull races on the circuit with the new loop.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
16th December 2011, 22:29
I did like having the GP2 Asia Series last year, it was a nice warm-up to the F1 season!
This seems like a logical step to me.
GP2 should be good next season. I expect things will be closer up at the front.