Sauber’s 2011 car will be unveiled at Valencia on January 31; the day before winter testing begins.

The Swiss team announced on Friday that the Ferrari-powered C30 will be launched at Valencia’s permanent Ricardo Tormo circuit, the scene of the first group test of the 2011 pre-season.

It is likely many teams will also be testing their new cars at the Spanish venue.

“The new car is on schedule,” a spokesman for the Faenza based Toro Rosso team told f1today.nl. “We are planning to have it for the first test in Valencia.”

And after Lotus said it will begin 2011 without KERS, it seems likely that Toro Rosso’s STR6 will be fitted with the energy recovery technology.

The Faenza based team’s Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi was in the simulator this week to prepare for 2011.

“There will be quite a few new tasks in the cockpit next year, with the re-introduction of KERS and the use of an adjustable rear wing,” he said.

“I am not going to tell you anything (more) about the STR6, let’s just say it definitely looks impressive!” added Buemi.

Pedro de la Rosa has acknowledged his plans to return to formula one in 2011 may stall due to a lack of personal sponsorship.

After several years as McLaren’s test driver, the 39-year-old Spaniard was ousted by Sauber after 14 races of his race comeback season.

Now Pirelli’s tyre tester, de la Rosa had been linked with the Spanish team HRT for 2011, but owner Jose Ramon Carabante recently warned that “without money, there is no place for him”.

The FIA entry list published earlier this week showed 10 potential vacancies for next season, but when asked if there are actually fewer openings, de la Rosa insisted: “For sure.

“Most of them are already reserved for drivers that come with a sponsor,” he is quoted by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

“That’s my handicap,” he admitted, “that I haven’t got a sponsor. But I’m not giving up.

“I’m stubborn and I want to race. If in the end I have to be a reserve or a tester, I will, but first I will try everything (to race).”

De la Rosa admitted that there are options outside of F1, including the premier American open wheel series Indycar.

“I’m not considering that yet,” he insisted. “It’s interesting, but – for now – I still think that I can be in F1.”

Sebastian Vettel is being touted as a likely nominee for the 2011 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

The six nominees for the world’s premier sports plaudit are not due to be officially confirmed until January, but the selection procedure is underway and media sources say F1′s new world champion is among those being voted for.

The nominees are selected by the Laureus Media Selection Panel, comprised of the world’s leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters.

The winner is then selected by the Laureus Academy, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time.

The winner will be announced in February during a televised awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

Proton intends to push ahead with a partial takeover of the Enstone based formula one team Renault.

Previously, it was believed the Malaysian carmaker was only in talks over a potential title sponsorship, with Renault F1 to be renamed after the Proton-owned British sports car maker Group Lotus.

But Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, who is Proton’s group managing director, told the Malaysian newspaper The Star that Proton is in fact negotiating to buy 25 per cent of the Renault team before the start of the 2011 season.

“Yes, that’s the intent,” he confirmed. “A decision will be made soon.

“We’re close, just wait for a few days,” added Zainal. “(The) 25 per cent (shareholding) is something that we are discussing.

“It’s still too premature to disclose the exact percentage but it has to be a position where we can control our brand,” he said.

Lotus has not changed its mind about running a KERS system in 2011.

In May this year, team boss Tony Fernandes said the Norfolk-based team had “good reasons” to build the 2010 car’s successor without the energy recovery technology.

Another new feature of the technical rules for 2011 is an adjustable rear wing to help boost overtaking.

“We will have the adjustable rear wing but not KERS for the start of the season – it’s in development – really because of engineering resource,” technical boss Mike Gascoyne told edp24.co.uk.

“Over one lap, it’s still not a big plus for its effort, involvement and negatives. Strategically off the start and in races, then yes,” he said.

“But at the start of the year, KERS is not going to be the thing that gives us the step up.

“It’s all the other things, and we’ve taken the choice to concentrate on all those because if we don’t get them right, KERS isn’t going to make a difference.”

Lotus’ new engine supplier for 2011 is Renault, so Gascoyne confirmed that when the team is ready to run with KERS, it will be the French marque’s unit.

“Renault are very keen on green technologies and KERS, so it’s something we will be pushing,” he said.

Davide Valsecchi is visiting HRT’s German headquarters this week.

Last month, it was reported that the 23-year-old is a candidate to make his formula one debut with the Spanish team in 2011 if he can find enough funding.

Valsecchi, a race winner in GP2 this year, was the quickest of any of the young runners with F1′s three new teams at the Abu Dhabi test in November.

“Italy should support him,” team boss Colin Kolles was quoted as saying.

Italiaracing magazine said Valsecchi’s strong pace in Abu Dhabi “surprised” Kolles and his management colleagues, who therefore invited him to Germany for a meeting.

Luca Badoer is leaving Ferrari after a long tenure as test driver.

The almost 40-year-old Italian has been in the role since the late 90s, and according to Autosprint magazine he accumulated more than 130,000 kilometres at Fiorano in Ferrari’s F1 cars during that period.

But Badoer was heavily criticised for his lack of competitiveness when he replaced the injured Felipe Massa in the Brazilian’s race cockpit mid last year.

Autosprint said Badoer, who raced 58 other times for minor Italian teams throughout the 90s, is now leaving the team.

The magazine said his last laps in a F1 car were during the recent Valencia celebrations, when he reaquainted with the F60 he raced three times in 2009.

Ferrari announced last month that 21-year-old Frenchman Jules Bianchi has been signed as a test driver for 2011.

Also contracted in test roles are Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gene.

Moves are still afoot to return Africa to the formula one calendar.

In July, as South Africa hosted the football World Cup, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said there are plans for the construction of a new grand prix circuit in Cape Town.

“We have been talking to the people in South Africa for quite a long time off and on. The chances are ok,” said the 80-year-old.

A new report by the German news agency SID said the Cape Town plans are still alive, with the feasibility of the project currently under examination by governmental economic and tourism authorities.

The report said the study involves considering whether a bespoke circuit or a semi-permanent venue make best sense for the city.

North of Johannesburg, Kyalami hosted 23 South African grands prix between 1967 and 1993.