BBC Sport brings you a regular round-up of the gossip in newspapers and on specialist websites around the world.

The new Lotus team has made its track debut at the rain-affected Jerez test. The team has entrusted the T127 to Malaysian test driver Fairuz Fauzy for its first day.

Full story: autosport.com

Ferrari's Felipe Massa is surprised his former Sauber team-mate Nick Heidfeld has been overlooked for a race seat in 2010. Heidfeld has had to settle for a testing role with Mercedes but had been considered a firm favourite for a drive with the German team before seven-times champion Michael Schumacher came out of retirement.Full story: espnf1.com

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel agrees with Michael Schumacher that Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes are on top after early testing. However, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso reckons no one team has put down a marker. Full story: espnf1.com

Robert Kubica is pleased with Renault's progress in the first two tests of the season. The Pole inists he already feels very much at home in the Enstone-based team after his switch from BMW Sauber over the winter. Full story: crash.net

Indian driver Karun Chandhok is understood to have signed for Serbian hopefuls Stefan GP. The 26-year-old has about £3.8m of sponsorship. His father is a high ranking Indian motorsport official, with links to Formula 1's governing body the FIA. Full story: motorsport.com

This is the most important year in the history of Williams F1. After back-to-back years of losses, analysts expected Sir Frank Williams to part with a minority stake in his eponymous team - and he duly did so last November. However, the team still faces a tough battle.Full story: pitpass.com

Lotus have appointed deputy team principals but team owner Tony Fernandes has conceded the Norfolk-based start-up faces a huge task to be be competitive. Full story: www.formula1.com

This story will be updated throughout the day.

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