Now in its twelfth year, GP2’s first champion of the series in 2005 was Nico Rosberg who will battle against team-mate, and also a GP2 graduate, Lewis Hamilton for the F1 title in Abu Dhabi.
Despite only running for six seasons, GP3 has produced three champions that have gone on to race in Formula 1. They include Williams driver Valtteri Bottas, Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, and Esteban Gutierrez, who drives for Haas F1 Team.
The two championships will be a chance for young drivers based in the region to get an insight into the skills needed to reach the verge of F1 stardom, along with the chance to impress spectators at the venue.
“Abu Dhabi is very proud to be hosting the title-deciding races for GP2 Series and GP3 Series,” said Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit.
“One of our key missions at Yas Marina Circuit is to nurture talented young drivers from the region and give them every chance of reaching the very top of the sport. Many of them will be watching from the stands as the excitement of these two highly competitive championships unfolds.”
PREMA Racing team’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Pierre Gasly will be battling for a title-deciding win in the UAE capital.
With two races to go, who do you think will be crowned #GP2 Champion this season? #NeedYourOpinion
— GP2 Series Official (@GP2_Official) October 7, 2016
Gasly is in his third season as a member of the Red Bull Junior team and acts as a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing. He is placed behind Italian Giovinazzi in the standings, who has made a big impression in his first season of GP2.
Elsewhere on the grid, Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin finished third in last year’s GP2 Series and was a test driver in 2014 for the Sauber F1 team. New Zealand’s Mitch Evans is another to look out for and is considered a protege to Australian great Mark Webber. Meanwhile, Britain’s Alex Lynn was GP3 Series champion in 2014 and drove as an F1 development driver for the Williams team.
The GP3 Series drivers’ title is also going to the wire in the final round of the season at Yas Marina Circuit. ART GP’s Charles Leclerc is in pole position, with his team-mate Alexander Albon and Trident’s Antonio Fuoco just behind and challenging him for the title.
Morning Tweeps! IT'S RACE WEEK!! We are off to @ymcofficial for the last round of the season... Who's excited? We are ;-) #GP2 #Motorsport pic.twitter.com/C3L35vIEkb
— GP2 Series Official (@GP2_Official) November 21, 2016
