2009 GP2 Series


The 2009 GP2 Series season was the forty-third season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also fifth season under the GP2 Series moniker. The season consisted of twenty races at ten rounds, beginning on 9 May at the Circuit de Catalunya and finishing on 20 September at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. The Algarve circuit hosted its first GP2 weekend, and was the only new circuit on the calendar. The Nürburgring also returned as part of its rotation with Hockenheim as the home of the German Grand Prix.
The title was won by German rookie Nico Hülkenberg at the penultimate round of the championship at Monza, the first time the series had been won before the final round. His team ART Grand Prix claimed the teams title in the Algarve.
Barwa Addax's title contender Romain Grosjean left the series mid-season to join the Renault for the remainder of the 2009 [Formula One season|Formula One] season following Nelson Piquet Jr.'s sacking.
Champion Hülkenberg, runner-up Petrov and 3rd place Lucas di Grassi all drove in the 2010 Formula One season for Williams, Renault and new team Virgin Racing respectively. 16th place Kamui Kobayashi took part in the final two races of the 2009 Formula One season for Toyota following Timo Glock's injury in the Japanese Grand Prix while 18th place Karun Chandhok joined new Formula One team HRT in 2010.

Teams and drivers

All of the teams used the Dallara GP2/08 chassis with Renault-badged 4.0 litre naturally-aspirated Mecachrome V8 engines order and with tyres supplied by Bridgestone.

Team changes

; Midseason changes

Driver changes

; Changed Team
; Entering/Re-Entering GP2
; Leaving GP2
; Midseason changes

2009 schedule

The 2009 calendar was announced on 16 December 2008. The final round of the championship was the first GP2 race to take place at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Also, the German Grand Prix was moved from Hockenheim to the Nürburgring.

Championship standings

;Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top 8 classified finishers in the Feature race, and to the top 6 classified finishers in the Sprint race. The pole-sitter in the feature race will also receive two points, and one point is given to the driver who set the fastest lap inside the top ten in both the feature and sprint races. No extra points are awarded to the pole-sitter in the sprint race.
;Feature race points
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Pole FL
Points10865432121

;Sprint race points
Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th FL
Points6543211

Drivers' Championship

Notes:
  • † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Teams' Championship

Notes:
  • † — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.