Zoom A Toro Rosso one-two as testing gets into gear

Winter testing got underway today at Circuit de Catalunya with a number of teams opting to run the 2009 wing package on the 2008 race cars. The new wings do little in making the cars look more attractive, but the aim is to reduce downforce to enable better racing next season.

Slick tyres were also much in use at the 4.655km Spanish Grand Prix circuit, something of a new era for the sport after 188 races on the unloved 'grooved' rubber. With such a plethora of options available for this test, the times mean relatively little as the drivers and teams work on differing programmes.

Toro Rosso Ferrari hopefuls Takuma Sato and Sebastien Buemi were in action for the Italian team today as the duo chase a seat with the team for the forthcoming season. Sato did his chances no harm at all as he put it in an impressive 121 laps and set the pace with a best lap of 1:20.763s. Buemi, a long-time Red Bull-backed driver, backed up Sato's pace with the second fastest time of the day, just three-tenths off the ultimate pace.

Regular Honda tester Alex Wurz tried out slicks and also a new 2009-spec front wing on his way to the third best time while Lucas Di Grassi swapped his normal Renault R28 machine today for his first Honda test. The Brazilian, chasing a race seat alongside Jenson Button next season, tested the standard RA108 package and was slowest of the 17 runners. Sharing a car with Buemi, Bruno Senna made his long-awaited F1 test debut today with the 15th best time.

Pedro de la Rosa was in action for McLaren Mercedes, running slick tyres on a fairly standard looking MP4-23 package. The Spanish veteran set the fourth fastest time just ahead of fellow McLaren tester Gary Paffett.

Luca Badoer's Ferrari featured modifications to the right sidepod of the F2008, presumably as a result of testing KERS and the Italian set the sixth fastest time for the championship winning team. Marc Gene also completed a short run and was 14th fastest.

Robert Kubica and Christian Klien were on track for the BMW Sauber team, running a modified F1.08 chassis featuring 2009-spec front and rear wings with enormous front wing end-plates. The Polish racer used both the grooved and slick tyres today and was seventh best while Klien was three-tenths slower and tenth fastest.

World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb was today back behind the wheel of a Formula One. The Frenchman recently claimed his fifth straight rally championship at the wheel of his all-conquering Citroen C4 and was invited by common sponsor Red Bull to try the Renault-powered RB4. Loeb tested with Renault last year, but today marked his first participation in a Formula One group test. Loeb posted the eighth fastest time of the day, just under two seconds off the ultimate pace. Impressive.