Pirelli will award prize money to the two highest finishing GP3 graduates that compete in the 2011 GP2 Final at Abu Dhabi in November.
In order to qualify for the prize money, any GP3 graduate will have to finish in the points in the feature race and/or sprint race at the stand-alone end of season event at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The best-finishing GP3 driver will receive 15,000 Euros, with the second highest finishing driver getting 10,000 Euros.
“The 2011 GP2 Final is the perfect opportunity for young drivers and among them GP3 racers to have their first taste of a GP2 race weekend, and prove their worth in front of the F1 paddock and the rest of the GP2 field,” said GP2 Series CEO Bruno Michel.
“The fact that our official partner Pirelli offers prize money to the two best points finishing GP3 graduates will most definitely spice things up even more. It will be interesting to see who will be the next generation of young guns fighting in GP2 Series in 2012 or the coming years.”
Pirelli Racing Manager Mario Isola said: “One of our key priorities at Pirelli is giving opportunities to young and talented drivers. Our first initiative was the WRC Pirelli Star Driver Award which was aimed to support up-and-coming rally stars from 2008 to 2010 and then evolved in the Pirelli-backed WRC Academy this year. Likewise, we are delighted to be so closely involved in shaping the Formula One champions of the future.
“The Pirelli GP3 Award goes in this direction and aims to award those GP3 graduates who have distinguished themselves in many ways, including how they manage their new P Zero tyres which are quite tricky because of their variable durability features. Pirelli is strongly committed to closely working together with organisers and teams and keep backing drivers in these highly competitive championships, especially GP3 that, notwithstanding its short existence, has already proved to be a must to move further up in the ladder of motorsport.”
