Some news tidbits from the world of Formula 1:

GP2 Team To Run In Renault’s F1 Colors: A GP2 team will also bear the distinctive colors of Renault’s new Formula One colors in 2010. The French team DAMS will be a partner of Renault’s driver development program this year, running the F1 reserve drivers Ho-Pin Tung and Jerome d’Ambrosio. DAMS confirmed in a statement that the Gravity Sport-managed pair would contest the feeder series “in cars bearing the Renault colors”. “Thus, DAMS will become the Renault F1 junior team in GP2, the formula that opens the door to the top category in motor racing,” the team added. Said the Belgian d’Ambrosio: “Driving a black and yellow car will be something very special and I’m determined to defend these colors in the way they deserve.”

No Rally Ban For Lotus’ Kovalainen: Lotus has not banned Heikki Kovalainen from contesting rallies. After emerging from his restrictive McLaren contract, the 28-year-old Finn hinted he would take advantage by doing a rally this winter. The Arctic Lapland Rally was touted, but France’s Auto Hebdo claimed Kovalainen had decided against it because he “does not have time to prepare seriously”. Finland’s Turun Sanomat, confirming that Kovalainen’s new Lotus contract does not forbid rally outings, asked the 2008 Hungarian GP winner about his decision. “I would certainly have liked to have been out there, but if you do rallies, even for fun, you still need to do some preparation. It would have meant a couple of weeks for the project. At this stage, I preferred to spend the time at the (Lotus) factory.”

Kobayashi Also Courted By Renault For 2010: Kamui Kobayashi coyly revealed Sunday earlier talks about the 2010 season with Renault. The Japanese rookie made a spectacular two-race debut with the departing Toyota team at the tail end of 2009, and was subsequently signed up by Sauber. But as he also carries some personal sponsorship, rumors abounded that the 23-year-old was courted by several teams. When asked at the launch of the C29 at Valencia whether he had other options for 2010, he was quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport as responding: “I had them, but do I have to mention the names?” When his manager anxiously waved in the background, the 2009 GP2 driver smiled: “I would be happy to be open with you, but as you can see, I am not allowed to speak!” Reports indicate that Renault, which ultimately signed the Russian pay-driver Vitaly Petrov, was one of Kobayashi’s options. Auto Motor und Sport said he would now relocate from Paris, where he lived in order to be close to his GP2 employer DAMS, to Switzerland.

New Lotus To Make Track Debut On Friday – Report: New F1 team Lotus looks set to give its 2010 car a track debut late this week. The UK-based, Malaysian-owned team has announced that the single seater will be launched next Friday at a central London event. It was believed the car would run for the first time at Silverstone the following day, in the hands of Jarno Trulli, before heading to the third group test at Jerez. But Finland’s Turun Sanomat, having just interviewed Lotus’ Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen, reports that it will actually be the team’s Malaysian test driver who gives the car its debut. Rival new team Virgin will debut the VR-01 during a “private shakedown” at Silverstone on Thursday and Friday this week, and the Finnish report suggests that Lotus will also be on track on Friday. Team boss Tony Fernandes said earlier this month that Lotus would be “turning on (the car’s) engines on the 5th”. Turun Sanomat said Fairuz Fauzy will also drive for one day at each of the subsequent Jerez and Barcelona group tests, leaving just three days apiece for Kovalainen and Trulli.

De la Rosa May Step Down As GPDA Chairman: Pedro de la Rosa may step back as chairman of the formula one drivers’ association GPDA. The 38-year-old Spaniard fulfilled the role in the recent past but on Sunday began in earnest his return to the grid as the Sauber C29 was launched in Spain. “Good question,” de la Rosa is quoted as answering when asked if he will now have enough time to devote to the safety-oriented body. For the past seven years, de la Rosa has traveled to all the Grands Prix predominantly in the role as McLaren’s test and reserve driver. “I don’t know yet, I haven’t decided it myself. We will have to discuss this with the GPDA members. It will obviously be more difficult now for me to have the chairmanship, because I have less time. I personally believe that we need someone who has more time than a race driver. As a test driver it was easy.”

New Helmet For Kubica, Old One For Barrichello: Robert Kubica will field new helmet colors in 2010 to mark his switch from BMW-Sauber to Renault. The 25-year-old Pole, who displayed the helmet at the launch of the R30 car at Valencia on Sunday, has replaced the bright red basis of his usual color scheme with yellow. It means Kubica’s helmet now closely resembles the distinctive yellow and black livery of the 2010 Renault car. Elsewhere, like his former Brawn teammate Jenson Button – Rubens Barrichello will revert to his original helmet colors in 2010. The Brazilian veteran, who has switched to Williams, published a photo on his Twitter page of him sitting in the FW32 with his familiar white, red and blue helmet on. In 2009, when he finished the championship in third place, Barrichello fielded initially a bright yellow variant to honor Brawn’s F1 debut, and later a mostly white design penned by his children.