Our Philosophy.....

The   GP2   Asia   Series,   which   begins   in   January   2008,   will   be   an   exciting   new   racing championship,  designed  to  bring  the  highest  level  of  one-make  single-seater  action  to  the emerging motorsport nations in the Middle East and Asia.

The  concept  of  the  GP2  Asia  Series  is  to  bring  the  excitement  and  potential  of  the  world’s foremost Formula One feeder category to the emerging motorsport nations of the world, and to provide a step on the ladder to aspiring young drivers from the Middle East and Asia.

Bruno Michel: GP2 Asia Series Organiser “The philosophy of the GP2 Asia Series is to expand the successful concept of the GP2 Series to the  emerging  motorsport  nations.  These  high  potential  regions  will  benefit  from  the  incredible racing  which  the  GP2  Series  has  set  as  its  hallmark,  but  at  a  much  reduced  cost. 

As  Formula One expands further into Asia and the Middle East, the GP2 Asia Series will be perfectly placed to  act  as  its  support  event  at  an  increasing  number  of  races,  as  we  strive  to  promote  the  best emerging  talents  in  Asian  motorsport.  Part  of  this commitment to the promotion of drivers from Asia is reflected in a specific regulation for the GP2 Asia Series, which will ensure that at least one race seat per team is filled by a driver from this part of the world.

“As we launch the new GP2 / 08 car for the second generation of the GP2 Series, the GP2 Asia Series  means  that  the  car  which  has  provided  the  platform  upon  which  the  likes  of  Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Heikki Kovalainen have created their Formula One careers, will now be able to showcase the best young driver talent in Asia. For our teams, the GP2 Asia Series will also  be  an  opportunity  to  build on their European successes, and to spread their influence and knowledge  into  the  Asian  market,  tapping  into  new  sources  of  talent  and  knowhow,  whilst  also being included in new spheres of business and discovering new and exciting revenue sources.

“Of course, we know that a new Series entails a lot of hard work, and we are happy to bring a wealth of solid partners with us to the GP2 Asia Series, who have made the GP2 Series so strong in  Europe.  Bridgestone  will  continue  as  an  official  partner  and  sole  tyre  supplier,  and  we  are delighted that they have offered a special Bridgestone Prize of $50,000 to the GP2 Asia Series Drivers’ Champion. We are also pleased to announce that Dallara and Mecachrome will each continue their integral roles  with  the  chassis  and  engine  respectively.  Their  knowledge  of  the  car  and  its  technical intricacies, combined with the knowhow of the GP2 Series teams who have committed to the GP2 Asia Series, will be the firm foundations upon which this new championship is built.”

GP2 Asia Series:

Where, When and Who?

The  GP2  Asia  Series  will  begin  in  January  2008,  and  in  its  first  season  will  include  five weekends of racing, including two events as the support race at Formula One Grands Prix. The  2008  Calendar  begins  in  January  with  two  tests  (18-19  January,  22-23  January),  at  the Dubai Autodrome - the circuit at which the GP2 Asia Series will be based. The second of these tests  will  back  onto  the  inaugural  GP2  Asia  Series  race  weekend,  as  we  join  the  Speedcar Series  for  the  first  Grand  Racing  event  (25-26  January). 

The  second  race  of  the  season  will take place in the second full week of February (15-16) at the Sentul Circuit in Indonesia, again forming part of a Grand Racing weekend. From here, there will be a one month break before the GP2 Asia Series links up with Formula One  for  the  Grands  Prix  in  Malaysia  (20-23  March)  and  Bahrain  (3-6  April).  One  week  after Bahrain,  the  series  will  return  to  its  base  in  Dubai  for  its  season  finale  and  the  final  Grand Racing event of 2008 (11-12 April).

The teams who will compete in the 2008 GP2 Asia Series will be those who have taken part in the 2007 GP2 Series with one exception, as one of Asia’s biggest and most successful outfits Meritus takes the place of Racing Engineering. Bruno Michel:

GP2 Asia Series Organiser “One  of  the  reasons  for  the  creation  of  the  GP2  Asia  Series  has  been  to  ensure  that  the excitement of the GP2 concept is taken around the world. In order to do this however, we were very  aware  that  the  heightened  cost  integral  in  such  an  expansion  would  have  gone  against one  of  our  principal  values.  As  such,  a  separate  series  in  Asia,  with  operations  based  in  the region, has been the perfect method by which such an expansion could be realized. By splitting GP2 into the GP2 Main Series and GP2 Asia Series, we will ensure that teams and drivers can take part in both championships, without suffering the large costs which would have come with one pan-continental championship.

“We will have five races in the first year of the GP2 Asia Series, with this number increasing to eight  in  2009.  As  the  Formula  One  World  Championship  extends  its  reach  into  Asia,  we  will race at an increasing number of Grands Prix to bring the excitement of GP2 and the high level of competition and technology of the series to the new motorsport markets. “We  received  many  requests  from  teams  around  the  world  to  be  entered  into  the  GP2  Asia Series, but we have given priority to the existing teams of the GP2 Series to reward them for their hard work and loyalty. I have been delighted to see that, almost without exception, all of the existing teams have displayed their commitment and faith in this new venture, and we are all very excited and really looking forward to the start of the championship.”

Team Entry List (alphabetical order)

Arden International ART Grand Prix BCN Competicion Campos Grand Prix Dams DPR Durango FMS International iSport International Meritus Racing Minardi Piquet Sports Super Nova International Trident Racing