GP2 Series competed on Bridgestone Potenza tyres
Bridgestone's role as sole tyre supplier was an important factor in the spectacular success enjoyed by the GP2 series in its maiden year in 2005 when it replaced F3000 as the support act to F1.
There were 10 different winners in the 23 races with Germany's Nico Rosberg eventually being crowned the inaugural GP2 champion. Rosberg was one of three sons of former world champions who lined-up at Imola in April 2005 for the first GP2 race. Nico, whose father Keke was champion in 1982, joined Nelson Piquet and Mathias Lauda - sons of Nelson and Niki respectively. Rosberg's success immediately ensured his graduation into F1 for 2006 as partner to Mark Webber at the Williams team, which incidently had switched to Bridgestone tyres.
Slick tyres introduced for 2006 GP2 Series
The 2006 GP2 Series provided viewers with a second year of enthralling and close racing. Drivers faced fresh challenges with new set-up possibilities and new sporting regulations all aimed at improving competition. One of the biggest changes for the 2006 GP2 season however was the switch from Bridgestone grooved to slick tyres, increasing racing speeds by up to three seconds.
Throughout the 21-race season Lewis Hamilton and Nelson Piquet battled it out for the top spot, with the two drivers often switching between first and second place. Hamilton eventually clinched the Bridgestone-shod GP2 series in a nail-biting finale at Monza taking home a $100,000 prize, ending the season long standoff.
Winner Lewis Hamilton was confirmed as the sixth GP2 driver to make the step up into Formula 1, joining the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, whilst runner-up Nelson Piquet was also confirmed as a 2007 test driver for the ING Renault F1 team. Moves like these confirm the GP2 series as the world’s leading feeder to Formula 1.
Bridgestone continued in its role as sole tyre supplier to the GP2 Series in 2007, a season which saw some exciting engine and aero modifications making the cars even more demanding than before. Timo Glock, of the iSport International team, was the series’ winner, finishing on 88 points, 11 clear of his closest rival Lucas Di Grassi. Glock became the third consecutive GP2 Champion to progress into Formula One.
GP2 Asia Series runs on Bridgestone Potenza tyres
2008 saw a new era for the championship with the introduction of the GP2 Asia Series. A total of 13 teams battled it out in 5 rounds across 4 Asian nations. The GP2 Asia Series marked the next step in the growth of GP2, a concept which has become widely recognized as the final stepping stone to the top echelon of single-seater racing. The inaugural Bridgestone supplied GP2 Asia Series drew to a close at the Dubai Autodrome on Sunday 6 April, with Romain Grosjean crowned the first ever GP2 Asia Series Champion.
2008 also saw changes introduced in the GP2 main series, namely the production of the new GP2/08 car. The second generation Dallara machine was visibly different from its predecessor, but was still equipped with Bridgestone Potenza slick tyres. An exciting season that kicked off at Spain’s Barcelona Circuit in April saw twelve different winners during the course of the year. Italian driver Giorgio Pantano of the Racing Engineering team was crowned the eventual champion.
The 2008/2009 GP2 Asia series kicked off in Shanghai, China in support of the Formula One Chinese GP. 26 drivers and 13 teams lined up to compete in the championship’s second season. DAMS team driver and Panasonic Toyota Racing Test Driver, Kamui Kobayashi, clinched the title in the penultimate round of the series in Bahrain.