Some news tidbits from the world of Formula 1:

Report – Briatore Set For FOM Role Alongside Ecclestone: Flavio Briatore’s visit to the Monaco paddock earlier this month was reportedly part of a plan for the Italian to return to F1. Due to the crashgate scandal, the ousted former Renault boss is currently banned from holding a direct operational role in F1 until 2013, and he has ruled out returning as a team boss. But Finland’s Turun Sanomat reports that Briatore held “subtle negotiations” with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone in Monaco. The article said Ecclestone, 79, is not planning to retire, but does intend to delegate some of his responsibilities and “sees Briatore as a natural successor.” Turun Sanomat cites British sources as saying Briatore will shortly be responsible for the acquisition of new sponsors with the Ecclestone-led Formula One Management. The sources said Briton Ecclestone enjoys the negotiations with Grand Prix hosts, promoters and governments and does not intend to delegate those tasks. Ecclestone said last month that his personal friend and business partner Briatore could soon “take up a role in the promotion of Formula One.” And at the height of the FOTA/FIA political war last year, when the teams were threatening to set up a rival series, departing president Max Mosley said Briatore “sees himself as the Bernie.”

15 Teams Apply For Final Grid Place: No less than 15 teams have applied for the final place on the 2011 F1 grid. Italian website 422race.com reports that the governing FIA has now written to all those who expressed interest in the place made vacant by the demise of USF1. June 21 has been set as the deadline for the teams’ actual application and dossier, at which time EUR12,750 must be paid. The frontrunners must be successful GP2 team ART, headed by FIA president Jean Todt’s son Nicolas, and the Spanish Le Mans competitor Epsilon Euskadi. 422race.com claims that more than one team may be selected by the FIA, in case HRT or Sauber run further into financial trouble.

Lotus Designing 2011 Car Without KERS: Lotus will not run a KERS system in 2011, despite the expected return to the grid of the energy-recovery technology for next year. Multiple sources are reporting that KERS will be back in Formula One in 2011, but the new team Lotus has begun designing its next car with no plans to incorporate the boost-button concept. “We will not use KERS next year and we have good reasons for this decision,” team boss Tony Fernandes is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat. “This year we had to buy nearly all the (car) parts from other suppliers but now we are in a position to build the entire car in our factory.” FOTA’s technical group is finalizing the details of the KERS return, with Ferrari and Renault pushing for a 150 horsepower boost for 10 seconds each lap. In 2009, the boost was about 80 horsepower for less than 7 seconds. It is likely that KERS will remain voluntary in 2011 and 2012 until a new engine formula debuts in 2013. It is expected the return of KERS will be approved formally by the teams this weekend in Turkey, before the matter is referred to the FIA for inclusion in the technical regulations.

Herbert To Be Steward Again In Turkey: Johnny Herbert will this weekend once again act as F1′s driver steward. The 45-year-old Briton, who won three Grands Prix during his career spanning 165 races until 2000, debuted in the role in Malaysia. Since the 2010 season opener, former drivers including Alain Prost, Alex Wurz, Derek Warwick and Damon Hill have also served alongside the three regular stewards. But former Benetton, Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier, Sauber, Stewart and Jaguar driver Herbert is the first driver to officiate at more than one Grand Prix. Also touted to appear in 2010 are Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Salo and Nigel Mansell.

Newey Staying Put At Red Bull: Adrian Newey looks set to stay at Red Bull for the foreseeable future. The 51-year-old Briton joined the Austrian team from McLaren in 2006, and as chief technical officer is widely credited for the success of the dominant RB6. Germany’s Sport Bild claims Newey, arguably the most sought-after figure in the entire world of Formula One, intends to stay put. “Contractual matters are confidential, but it’s true,” team boss Christian Horner said of the report. “Last year, Adrian requested to remove a clause that would have ended his contract this year,” he revealed. Former Grand Prix winner Gerhard Berger backs the move, insisting that Red Bull will remain on the pace “as long as Newey and Vettel are there.”

As reported by SPEED.com’s Adam Cooper earlier this month… F1′s now-traditional end of season test for young drivers could be held in Abu Dhabi. Last December, Jerez hosted the three days of winter testing set aside in the regulations for “young driver training.” But Italy’s Italiaracing reports that for 2010, the test could take place in the days after Abu Dhabi hosts the season finale on Yas Island in mid November. With all the cars and equipment already in place, the move would be a significant cost-saving.

Durango Eyes Toyota Car For 2011 F1 Bid: The former GP2 team Durango is in talks with Toyota about acquiring its 2010-specification Formula One car. It emerged last month that the Italian outfit, who pulled out of GP2 due to financial problems, has lodged an application to be F1′s 13th team in 2011. According to the Italian source Italiaracing, Durango boss Ivone Pinton has confirmed he is in talks with Toyota. Upon withdrawing from F1 at the end of 2009, Toyota offered its two complete 2010 chassis to hopeful new entrants including USF1 and Stefan GP. The TF110, later renamed S-01 while rented by the unsuccessful Serbian entrant Stefan, was recently run by Toyota with Kazuki Nakajima at the wheel. Pinton said recently that “two very big international groups” are backing Durango’s F1 bid, and Italiaracing reports that one of them is from Russia.

Singapore Denies No time For F1 Track Preparation: A Singapore official has played down concerns the city-state will run out of time to prepare the floodlit street circuit for this year’s Formula One race. Singapore will host the Youth Olympic Games in the same Marina Bay area until the end of August – less than a month before the F1 circus arrives in town for round 15 of the 2010 World Championship. But Justin Chew, the Singapore Tourism Board’s executive director of F1 projects, told the state-owned MediaCorp: “We do have enough time. Based on the timeline set by the Youth Olympic Games organizers, they will take at least two to three weeks to vacate the circuit completely. But we have already ‘de-conflicted’ it and whatever time they need to move out and what we need to put in the area have been worked out.” The tight schedule means that fundamental structures for the street circuit such as lighting trusses are already being erected.