Takuma Sato set the pace on the opening day of a multi-team Formula One test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

The Japanese driver, who is testing for the Toro Rosso team in an effort to land a race seat for 2009, set a best time of one minute 20.763 seconds to finish fastest of 17 runners.

Red Bull test driver Sebastien Buemi made it a Toro Rosso one-two as the Italian squad set the pace on slick tyres, which will return for 2009.

Veteran Austrian Alex Wurz was third for Honda, while McLaren test duo Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett were fourth and fifth ahead of Ferrari's Luca Badoer.

Robert Kubica was seventh in a hybrid BMW Sauber, which featured 2009-specification aerodynamics.

Elsewhere, reigning world rally champion Sebastien Loeb was a remarkable eighth for Red Bull Racing after completing 82 laps in only his second taste of an F1 car.

Honda hopefuls Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi, both of whom are vying with Rubens Barrichello for a place in the Japanese team next season, failed to make an impression at the start of the three-day test, finishing 15th and 17th respectively.