The 2011 GP2 Series season was the forty-fifth season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also seventh season under the GP2 Series moniker, the pan-European motor racing series for single specification open wheel GP2 cars. Thirteen teams competed over a nine event series that run from 7 May at Istanbul Park in Turkey to September 11 at Monza in Italy. The series again performed the role of a series for developing emerging young drivers, acting as the principal supporting motor racing series that fills in time between sessions of the nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix that are held in Europe. The championship was won by reigning GP2 Asia champion Romain Grosjean at the penultimate round of the series. Luca Filippi, Jules Bianchi and Charles Pic were all divided just by two points in their battle for the second, third and fourth places respectively. Christian Vietoris, Davide Valsecchi, Stefano Coletti, Esteban Gutiérrez and Fabio Leimer was the other race winners.
Following a three-year cycle, the previous GP2 chassis was replaced by a brand new car, the GP2/11, built by Italian racing car manufacturer Dallara. The engine configuration remained the same until the end of the 2017 season, with the only modifications being to the exhaust systems. The series changed tyre supplier from Bridgestone to Pirelli for 2011–13. The 2011 season saw the addition of two new teams to the grid, Carlin and Team AirAsia. Meanwhile, DPR was not selected to continue in the series.
On 22 November 2010 it was announced that Renault would no longer badge their Mecachrome GP2 Series engines, instead Mecachrome would run its own engine program from 2011 onwards. All GP2 Series cars had a reverse gear for the first time in the series.
Teams and drivers
This section lists drivers who competed in the regular season. For the drivers who competed in the non-championship race in Abu Dhabi, see 2011 GP2 Final.
Team changes
David Price Racing left GP2, while Carlin and Team AirAsia joined the series, filling the vacancies left by DPR and Durango (who left ahead of the 2010 season). Lotus Cars lent its name to ART Grand Prix in a similar arrangement to their sponsorship of Takuma Sato and KV Racing Technology in the IndyCar Series, while Team Lotus is behind the new Team AirAsia outfit. Aside from the name, there is no crossover between Lotus ART and Team Air Asia.
Driver changes
Changed teams
Sam Bird moved to iSport International after competing in his rookie season for ART Grand Prix. He partnered Marcus Ericsson, who moves over from Super Nova Racing. Johnny Cecotto Jr. switched from Trident Racing to Ocean Racing Technology, having competed for Trident in the first eight meetings of the 2010 season. Max Chilton moved from Ocean Racing Technology to be part of Carlin's inaugural GP2 pairing. Rodolfo González returned to Trident Racing after a season with Arden International. González drove for Trident at the German round in 2009. After driving for DPR for most of his GP2 career to date, Michael Herck moved to Scuderia Coloni. After driving for Super Nova Racing in his rookie season, Josef Král switched to Arden International. Fabio Leimer moved from Ocean Racing Technology to Rapax. Charles Pic switched from Arden International to partner Giedo van der Garde at Barwa Addax. Luiz Razia moved from team's champions Rapax to debutants Team Air Asia. Davide Valsecchi joined him after a season with iSport International.
Entering/Re-Entering GP2 Series
Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion Mikhail Aleshin has extended his collaboration with Carlin for GP2, making a return to GP2 after contesting two meetings in 2007 with ART Grand Prix. Stefano Coletti returned to the series with Trident Racing, having competed in two rounds in 2009 for Durango. Fairuz Fauzy made his comeback to the series with Super Nova Racing, the team that Fauzy competed with in 2006 and also in the 2008 Asia Series. GP3 Series champion Esteban Gutiérrez moved up to GP2 with Lotus ART, having raced for the team in GP3. Julián Leal made his debut in the series with Rapax, having finished 20th in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for International DracoRacing. After a part season in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, Kevin Mirocha graduated into GP2 with Ocean Racing Technology. FIA Formula Two Championship runner-up Jolyon Palmer joined Arden International. Davide Rigon returned to the series with Scuderia Coloni, having driven for Trident Racing in 2009. Pål Varhaug moved up from the GP3 Series to drive for DAMS.