Chandhok makes debut as Red Bull tests new ECU

The world has moved forward almost four weeks since the final round of the 2007 world championship, but as the cars took to the track at the Catalunya circuit, Formula 1 itself stepped back in time to the days before electronic driver aids ruled the world.

In common with most teams, the main item on the programme was the new common ECU (all teams must use the same electronic control unit.) At Red Bull Racing this task fell to Karun Chandhok, who spent the day running checks on the new systems. David Coulthard ran his RB3 with the 2007 electronics, but with the important difference that the electronic aids no longer allowed for 2008 - traction control and engine braking - were turned off, while he worked on evaluation of developments destined for next year's car. Everyone is running the same Bridgestone tyre, the hard one that had been available for the Spanish GP, held here earlier in the year.

Same drivers and more of the same programme tomorrow.