The rounds were the first time the GP2 Series has visited the Bahrain International Circuit since 2007. The circuit was a regular fixture on the calendar of the now-defunct GP2 Asia Series from its inception in 2008 until 2011, when the race was cancelled due to anti-government protests.[2] With the GP2 Asia series being discontinued at the end of the 2011 season and merged into its parent series,[3] the Bahrain International Circuit returned to the larger GP2 Series as part of the series' expansion to include fly-away rounds.
DAMS driver Davide Valsecchi qualified on pole for the first feature race, and won both the feature and sprint races.
The first race was also the first time that the series introduced the points system used by Formula One since 2010 for the feature race, with points awarded to the top ten drivers and twenty-five points awarded to the race winner. The points for the sprint race were changed too, with the winner receiving fifteen points and the top eight drivers scoring points. The points for pole and fastest lap were doubled as well.
^4 — Felipe Nasr was given a five-place grid penalty for causing an avoidable collision with Johnny Cecotto Jr. in the feature race. He later started from the pit lane.[8]
↑"Brendon Hartley rejoint Ocean"[Brendon Hartley joins Ocean]. AUTOhebdo (in French). Groupe Hommell. 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
