Some news tidbits from the world of Formula 1, courtesy of SPEED TV:

Buemi To Give New Toro Rosso Track Debut On Launch Day: Sebastien Buemi will give Toro Rosso’s new car its track debut at Valencia next Monday. The Faenza based team, which is producing its own car for the first time this year after years of using essentially the Red Bull chassis, announced on Monday that the STR5 will be launched at the Spanish circuit on 1 February. “At the moment, the plan is for Sebastien Buemi to give the TR5 its maiden voyage around the track, continuing to drive on the Tuesday, before handing over the steering wheel to the recently reconfirmed Jaime Alguersuari, for Wednesday’s session,” said the team. The media statement also said that on Monday the car would be in the pit lane of the Spanish circuit for a photo call at 9am. The drivers, as well as team boss Franz Tost and technical boss Giorgio Ascanelli, will also be at the Ricardo Tormo circuit to meet with the press.

BMW, Williams Engineers Join Campos: Two well-known F1 engineers will be in the Campos garage when the 2010 world championship kicks off in March. Spain’s El Mundo, newspaper reports that Valencia-born Toni Cuquerella, and the Catalan Xavi Pujolar, switched at the end of last season to be with the new Spanish outfit. Cuquerella was formerly Robert Kubica’s race engineer at BMW-Sauber, while Pujolar comes from Williams. El Mundo Deportivo also reported that Mutua Madrilena, the Spanish insurance company that has recently sponsored the Renault and McLaren teams, turned down Campos’ efforts to secure backing.

Coulthard To Test Mercedes DTM Car: David Coulthard has lined up a day of testing at the wheel of a DTM car with Mercedes-Benz. Sebastian Vettel took over Scottish veteran’s Red Bull race seat last season, but he stayed with the energy drink outfit as a consultant and reserve driver. Coulthard, 38, has also renewed his TV commentary deal with the BBC for 2010, but recent rumors have linked him with a return to racing in the German touring car series. “The guys at Mercedes, with whom I have long been friends, have organised for me a day of (DTM) testing,” he said from the world cup ski races at Kitzbuhel in Austria. Coulthard spent nine seasons with works Mercedes power at McLaren between 1996 and 2004.

Barrichello Denies Saying Title ‘Closer Than Ever’: Rubens Barrichello has denied reports that he expects to fight for the world championship with Williams in 2010. “The dream to become world champion is closer than ever,” the F1 veteran said on a recent visit to Cosworth’s Northampton headquarters. But when the sound bite was published, 37-year-old wrote a clarification on his Twitter page. “To be clear: I was asked if I thought that 2009 was my last chance to be champion. I said no, that I always believe that tomorrow is going to be better. “Hence, the statement ‘The title is closer than ever’, but I didn’t say that,” the Brazilian added.

Bahrain Track Lengthened For 2010 Race, Sell-Out Unlikely: The layout of Bahrain’s Formula One circuit has been lengthened ahead of the 2010 season opener. Organizers of the March 14 Grand Prix – to be the sixth in the island Kingdom – announced on Monday that the track has been increased from 5.4 to 6.3 kilometers. The new loop, installed in 2006 and used for an endurance event that year, sweeps left out of the existing turn 4 and into eight new corners before rejoining the original circuit. “With the changes to the regulations, the teams and the driver lineups in formula one this year it is the perfect time to evolve the circuit with this new challenge and new overtaking opportunities,” said circuit chairman Zayed Alzayani. It was also learned that the venue would likely not host a sell-out crowd at for the opening round. The track has taken over from Melbourne for 2010 as the venue of the first race of the season, but it has not been enough of a boost to ensure entirely full grandstands. “We have a total capacity of 34,000 but I would expect the number (on Sunday) to go to 32,000,” circuit CEO Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, who has taken over from Martin Whitaker, told Arabian Business. Only 28,000 attended last year’s Bahrain GP, which was the fourth round on the 2009 calendar.

Eight Million Euros Spent On Failed Flins Foray: Almost EUR8 million was spent on the abandoned bid to host future French Grands Prix at Flins-Les-Mureaux. Following the demise of the Magny Cours event, and also the alternative Disneyland Paris project, the Yvelines  region last month scrapped the Flins foray. France’s Auto Hebdo reveals that Yvelines’ Conseil General spent EUR 7.9m on the failed project.

Rosberg Expected To Be Button’s Teammate: Nico Rosberg has admitted he expected to be reigning world champion Jenson Button’s teammate in 2010. When the 24-year-old German signed his contract to switch from Williams, the Brackley based team had yet to be sold to Mercedes-Benz. Rosberg insists he will share equal billing with Michael Schumacher this season, but admits he did not expect Briton Button to make room for the most successful driver in F1 history by moving to McLaren. “Frankly, I expected to be in the same team as Jenson Button,” he said in an interview with France’s L’Equipe. “At the time there was no talk about Michael. “It surprised me when he (Button) moved. Now my teammate is Schumacher, but I have nothing to lose against him. I’m in a team with the best driver.”

Massa Nearly 2.5s Quicker Than Rossi In Spain: Felipe Massa has put a dampener on reports that Valentino Rossi would be ready to make an immediate switch to Formula One. The reigning and multiple MotoGP champion tested for two days in a 2008 Ferrari last week in Barcelona, setting a best time quicker even than the fastest lap of the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix. But team regular and 2008 title contender Massa, 28, put the performance into context a day later when he took a turn at the wheel of the car fitted with GP2 slicks. It is rumored the Brazilian’s best lap was a 1.19.5, which is nearly 2.5 seconds quicker than Rossi’s 1.21.9.