Barely two weeks after the end of the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, testing for next season is already underway, with three days of running at the Catalunya Circuit, near Barcelona. This morning the opening day practice session for nine of the Formula 1 teams started at the Catalunya circuit, near Barcelona.

Today 17 drivers went on the track, while there were also some new entries and a couple of guests. Amongst unusual names in Formula 1 were also the one of Rally ace Sebastian Loeb, behind the wheel of a Red Bull, and Bruno Senna, Ayrton's nephew, with a Honda.

For the Scuderia Ferrari Luca Badoer and Marc Gené sat behind the wheels of the red single-seaters. The two test-drivers have different programs but also different set ups of their F2008s. Badoer started a very important reliability test as far as engine and gearbox are concerned, driving a slightly modified car in terms of aero package to simulate the downforce of the 2009 season, furthermore there were weights added to the car, to simulate the situation when the KERS is employed, which was only partially on the car today. Gené is using an unmodified F2008 and will test different set ups. Both Ferraristi are using slicks, which will be used in the upcoming season.

Considering the different configurations of the cars on the track, today's lap times are no indicator at all and the tests after the end of the season are usually completely about experimenting with new solutions and not about showing potential performance. At the end of the day the two Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers were the fastest drivers on the Spanish track: the Japanese Takuma Sato with a lap time of 1.20.763 was placed just ahead of the Swiss Sebastien Bümi (1.21.071) at the top of the timesheets. The two drivers from the Prancing Horse drove the eighth fastest (1.23.515 - Badoer, 108 laps) and 13th fastest lap times (1.24.521 - Gené, 33 laps).

Testing continues at the Circuit de Catalunya tomorrow, once once again with the two Ferrari test drivers running on the track. The Scuderia will be on the track also on Thursday and Friday, when a very special driver will sit behind the F2008's wheel, the 2008 MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi. Although the Italian has tested for Ferrari previously with a view to a seat with the Scuderia, this test is a reward for clinching the title this year.

Test Details: Circuit: Circuit de Catalunya - 4.655 km; Drivers: Luca Badoer and Marc Gené; Car: F2008; Weather: air temperature 6/18 °C, track temperature 8/21°C. Sunny.