Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa began work on the development of the new Ferrari F2008 at Jerez today and the pair wound up the first day of the official Formula 1 test at the top of the timesheets.

Today was the first day of testing this week for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, working at the Jerez circuit, in southern Spain. They were joined by eight of their F1 rivals, although the BMW Sauber team was absent, it was unveiling its distinctive new 2008 car in Munich and will join the proceedings tomorrow.

Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa began work on the development of the F2008, both drivers at the wheel of one of the new cars, the first time the car has begun a major test since its official unveiling a week ago. The McLaren and Toyota teams also had their new 2008 cars on track today, while BMW and Red Bull teams will shakedown their new machine during the duration of the test.

Rain slightly hampered progress in the morning, as the track remained damp up to the lunch break. In the afternoon, the weather improved to the point that it was possible to run all the time on dry tyres.

Testing ended at 17h00 with both F2008 cars having run trouble free, although Massa went off the track at one point and had his machine returned to the pits on a truck. F1 World Champion Raikkonen set the fastest time of the opening day, a lap of 1.19.845, which was set in the afternoon after the track had dried out. He ran 59 laps during the day. Massa meanwhile turned in 43 laps wound up second fastest with a lap of 1.20.123. Third best time went to McLaren-Mercedes test driver Pedro de la Rosa (1:20.548, 54 laps) while Sebastian Vettel (1:20.732, 40 laps) was fourth in the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso STR2.

Testing continues at this track tomorrow, again with Massa and Raikkonen on track for Ferrari in the new F2008.

Test details: Circuit: Jerez circuit - 4.423 km; Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa; Car: F2008; Weather: air temperature 12/17°C, track temperature 12/22°C. Rain and a wet track in the morning, slightly cloudy and dry in the afternoon.