2015 season calendar and teams confirmed
The 2015 GP2 Series season will once again consist of 11 rounds, the championship's management announced on Wednesday.
"Just like in 2014, next season's calendar is a balance between racing on F1 circuits, in Europe and overseas, and costs control with the race events limited to eleven in order to enable our thirteen teams to maintain a sustainable economic model," said GP2 CEO Bruno Michel.
The line-up is broadly unchanged on this year's calendar, with the season getting underway in Bahrain slightly later on 17-19 April, followed by the first of eight European events at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on 8-10 May.
As was the case this year, the next three rounds will be held at Monaco (21-23 May), the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria (19-21 June) and then the British round at Silverstone (3-5 July).
The German weekend on 17-19 July is officially still to confirm its venue. In 2014 the series raced at Hockenheim, and it is still to be announced whether GP2 and the F1 German Grand Prix will return there in 2015 or switch to back to Nurburgring as part of the alternating arrangement between the two circuits.
GP2 will then race at the Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary on 24-26 July ahead of the month-long summer break. When the series returns to action it will be at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on 21-23 August, followed by Monza in Italy on 4-6 September.
There will then be another month's hiatus before the series' second visit to Sochi in Russia on 9-11 October, and an even bigger pause before the season finale at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi which is a week later than this year and will take place on 27-29 November.
"I am glad that once again all of our events will take place alongside F1," said Michel. "It's the best way for young drivers to not only learn as many F1 tracks as possible, but also to showcase their skills directly in front of the F1 paddock.
"With the introduction of DRS in 2015 - which will be the only important technical modification on our cars - GP2 is the perfect category to prepare the drivers for the next step."
In addition, the series announced two official three-day pre-season test sessions to be held at Yas Marina on 9-11 March and at Bahrain's Sakhir International Circuit on 1-3 April.
The series also confirmed the identities of the 13 teams taking part in next year's championship, with Status Grand Prix taking over from Caterham Racing the only anticipated change in the line-up.
Currently only two drivers have been confirmed for 2015, with Arthur Pic remaining at Campos Racing for a second season and Julian Leal set for a renewed campaign with Carlin
2015 GP2 Series Calendar
Pre-season testing
March 9-11: Yas Marina, United Arab Emirates
April 1-3: Sakhir, Bahrain
Races
April 17-19: Sakhir, Bahrain
May 8-10: Barcelona, Spain
May 21-23: Monte Carlo, Monaco
June 19-21: Spielberg, Austria
July 3-5: Silverstone, Great Britain
July 17-19: To be confirmed, Germany
July 24-26: Budapest, Hungary
August 21-23: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
September 4-6: Monza, Italy
October 9-11: Sochi, Russia
November 27-29: Yas Marina, United Arab Emirates
2015 GP2 Series Teams
Cars #1 and #2 DAMS (FRA)
Cars #3 and #4 Carlin (GBR)
Cars #5 and #6 ART Grand Prix (FRA)
Cars #7 and #8 Racing Engineering (ESP)
Cars #9 and #10 Russian Time (RUS)
Cars #11 and #12 Trident (ITA)
Cars #14 and #15 Campos Racing (ESP)
Cars #16 and #17 MP Motorsport (NED)
Cars #18 and #19 Rapax (ITA)
Cars #20 and #21 Arden International (GBR)
Cars #22 and #23 Status Grand Prix (CAN)
Cars #24 and #25 Hilmer Motorsport (GER)
Cars #26 and #27 Lazarus (ITA)
