The 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship was originally scheduled to feature 20 rounds, including the debut of the Indian Grand Prix at the newly constructed Buddh International Circuit. However, the season was ultimately reduced when the Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled due to political unrest in the country.
Season
The year also saw an important change in Formula One’s tyre supply. Pirelli returned as the sport’s official tyre manufacturer, replacing Bridgestone and ending the Japanese company’s tenure as the sole supplier. Pirelli’s return marked its first involvement in Formula One since the 1991 season, and its tyre strategy would play a significant role in shaping race tactics throughout the championship.
Heading into the season, Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel were the defending champions in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships, respectively. Vettel entered the year as one of five World Champions on the grid, reflecting the depth of talent competing in Formula One at the time.
The championship quickly became another demonstration of Red Bull’s strength. Vettel delivered an exceptionally consistent campaign and secured his second consecutive World Drivers’ Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix, with several races still remaining in the season. At 24 years and 98 days old, Vettel became the youngest driver in Formula One history to successfully defend a world championship. His success also ensured that Red Bull Racing retained the Constructors’ Championship, confirming the team’s continued dominance during this period.
The 2011 season also introduced several technical and sporting developments. Most notably, it marked the first year of the Drag Reduction System (DRS), a driver-activated aerodynamic device designed to improve overtaking opportunities by temporarily reducing rear-wing drag when a car was following another within a specified distance. The system quickly became a defining feature of modern Formula One racing.
The championship was also the final Formula One season for Rubens Barrichello, one of the most experienced drivers in the sport’s history. The Brazilian veteran, a multiple Grand Prix winner, concluded a career spanning nearly two decades in Formula One.
2011 F1 Entries drivers and teams
| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | No. | Race drivers | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bull Racing Renault | Red Bull Racing-Renault | RB7 | Renault RS27-2011 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | All |
| 2 | Mark Webber | All | ||||
| Vodafone McLaren Mercedes | McLaren-Mercedes | MP4-26 | Mercedes FO 108Y | 3 | Lewis Hamilton | All |
| 4 | Jenson Button | All | ||||
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 150º Italia | Ferrari 056 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | All |
| 6 | Felipe Massa | All | ||||
| Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team | Mercedes | MGP W02 | Mercedes FO 108Y | 7 | Michael Schumacher | All |
| 8 | Nico Rosberg | All | ||||
| Lotus Renault GP | Renault | R31 | Renault RS27-2011 | 9 | Nick Heidfeld | 1–11 |
| Bruno Senna | 12–19 | |||||
| 10 | Vitaly Petrov | All | ||||
| AT&T Williams | Williams-Cosworth | FW33 | Cosworth CA2011K | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | All |
| 12 | Pastor Maldonado | All | ||||
| Force India F1 Team | Force India-Mercedes | VJM04 | Mercedes FO 108Y | 14 | Adrian Sutil | All |
| 15 | Paul di Resta | All | ||||
| Sauber F1 Team | Sauber-Ferrari | C30 | Ferrari 056 | 16 | Kamui Kobayashi | All |
| 17 | Sergio Pérez | All | ||||
| Pedro de la Rosa | 7 | |||||
| Scuderia Toro Rosso | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | STR6 | Ferrari 056 | 18 | Sébastien Buemi | All |
| 19 | Jaime Alguersuari | All | ||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus-Renault | T128 | Renault RS27-2011 | 20 | Heikki Kovalainen | All |
| 21 | Jarno Trulli | 1–9, 11–19 | ||||
| Karun Chandhok | 10 | |||||
| HRT Formula 1 Team | HRT-Cosworth | F111 | Cosworth CA2011 | 22 | Narain Karthikeyan | 1–8, 17 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | 9–16, 18–19 | |||||
| 23 | Daniel Ricciardo | 17 | ||||
| Vitantonio Liuzzi | 1–16, 18–19 | |||||
| Marussia Virgin Racing | Virgin-Cosworth | MVR-02 | Cosworth CA2011 | 24 | Timo Glock | All |
| 25 | Jérôme d’Ambrosio | All |
2011 Formula 1 Race Calendar
2011 Formula 1 Race Results
2011 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
Team standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Bull Racing Renault | 650 |
| 2 | McLaren Mercedes | 497 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 375 |
| 4 | McLaren Mercedes | 165 |
| 5 | Renault | 73 |
| 6 | Force India Mercedes | 69 |
| 7 | Sauber Ferrari | 44 |
| 8 | STR Ferrari | 41 |
| 9 | Williams Cosworth | 5 |
| 10 | Lotus Renualt | 0 |
| 11 | HRT Cosworth | 0 |
| 12 | Virgin Cosworth | 0 |
