Organizers of the GP3 Series have announced the inaugural race calendar. Eight rounds have been confirmed for the 2010 season, seven of which will support the Formula One World Championship.

The season goes green in Barcelona where Formula One kicks off its European season. GP3 will then take a break whilst big sister series GP2 travels to Monaco and Istanbul for rounds two and three of their season. GP3 will then return on 19-20 June to Portimao for round two, a stand-alone event supporting the GP2 Series. The final six events will then support the remaining Formula One European calendar, resulting in the finale of the championship being held at historical Monza.

Ten teams will take part in the new series, and there have been two significant name changes since the initial team line-up was announced back in October - Carlin Motorsport will now be known as just Carlin following a new partnership with Capsicum, and Silverstone-based Hitech Junior has been renamed ATECH Grand Prix following a partnership with CRS Racing.

Three pre-season test days have also been scheduled, first at Paul Ricard on 3-4 March and 30-31 March followed by Barcelona on 13-14 April.

GP3 Series organiser Bruno Michel said: "I am very pleased with the inaugural GP3 Series calendar. Three pre-season test days and eight rounds means drivers will have a sizeable amount of running during the season, and with seven of those rounds running alongside Formula One, we are confident the series will achieve excellent exposure for the teams and drivers.

"Our driver line-up for the season is also starting to take shape, and I am confident by the time the season kicks off in May we will have thirty highly promising young drivers representing the series."

Tests

3-4 March: Le Castellet
30-31 March: Le Castellet
13-14 April: Barcelona

Championship

8-9 May: Barcelona, Spain
19-20 June: Portimao, Portugal
26-27 June: Valencia, Spain
10-11 July: Silverstone, Great Britain
24-25 July: Hockenheim, Germany
31 July – 1 August: Budapest, Hungary
28_29 August: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
11-12 September: Monza, Italy