GP2 confirms 2010 calendar, teams
The GP2 Series unveiled its calendar for the 2010 season late last week, which will feature eleven rounds and twelve teams, with Piquet GP re-named Rapax.
The year will once again begin in Barcelona where the 2010 FIA F1 World Championship will open its European season. The event will be the first of ten weekends as the official F1 support series - one more event than in 2009.
Portimao meanwhile will host again the stand-alone event which will take place mid-season on 19-20 June and will be supported by the new and anticipated GP3 Series.
The 2010 championship will be concluded in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit together with F1.
Two pre-season test sessions will be organised first at Paul Ricard on March 23-25 followed by Barcelona on April 7-9.
"I am very pleased to have eleven rounds next year. We will have ten events alongside F1 - that's one more than in 2009 and ending the season in Abu Dhabi is fantastic," said GP2 Series organiser, Bruno Michel.
"I can also reveal today that the 2010 grid is almost complete. The list of drivers for next season is made of a lot of new names and it will be very interesting to follow these promising young guns.
"Looking at the F1 grid for next year, one can only be impressed by the number of GP2 graduates who will be competing in the 2010 championship."
2010 GP2 Series Calendar:
23-24-25 March Le Castellet France Test
7-8-9 April Barcelona Spain Test
8-9 May Barcelona Spain
14-15 May Monte-Carlo Monaco
29-30 May Istanbul Turkey
19-20 June Portimao Portugal
26-27 June Valencia Spain
10-11 July Silverstone Great Britain
24-25 July Hockenheim Germany
31 July - 1 August Budapest Hungary
28_29 August Spa-Francorchamps Belgium
11-12 September Monza Italy
13-14 November Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi
2010 GP2 Series grid:
1-2 ART Grand Prix FRA
3-4 Bara Addax Team ESP
5-6 Super Nova Racing GBR
7-8 Racing Engineering ESP
9-10 iSport International GBR
11-12 DAMS FRA
14-15 Rapax ITA
16-17 Arden International NED
18-19 Ocean Racing Technology POR
20-21 Scuderia Coloni ITA
24-25 Trident Racing ITA
26-27 DPR GBR
