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2013 GP2 calendar revealed

GP2 will support 11 F1 races in 2013 © Sutton Images

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Next season's GP2 calendar has been released, with its 11 race weekends set to support over half of 2013's Formula One races.

The main change is the addition of Abu Dhabi as the final round of the calendar, while the street race in Valencia has been dropped as well as one of the Bahrain rounds from last year. The Series will once again open in Malaysia as a support race to the second grand prix of the season before going on to Bahrain, Spain, Monaco, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Belgium Italy, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.

"2013 will be another strong season for GP2," GP2 CEO Bruno Michel said. "We have decided to keep the prestigious tracks outside of Europe, starting with Sepang and Sakhir, two venues which provided some heart-stopping action last season. We are also returning to Singapore in September for the second time of the Series' history. I am very pleased to be closing the season in Abu Dhabi: we have been to that track several times with GP2 Asia and raced there last time in November 2011 with our latest generation car.

"Added to these four overseas events, we will be racing alongside F1 in all seven European rounds which brings a total of eleven F1 tracks on our calendar again next season. Since the Series started in 2005, we have always provided the drivers with a car close to F1 in performance and used the same tyres. This package guarantees the GP2 drivers to gain the ultimate and most-needed experience to graduate to the next category. Our sole goal has always been and will continue to remain to prepare the next generation of F1 drivers. I believe that's exactly what we will see again in 2013 and I am really looking forward to next season."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.