Testing for the new season of the Speedcar Championship got underway at the Dubai Autodrome with former Formula One drivers Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert -- the series one champion -- leading the way.

The track conditions provided the perfect setting for the new cars to be put through their paces as the teams and drivers prepared for the opening round of the Championship on the 4th-6th December, 2008.

Alpinestars backed driver Vitantonio Liuzzi would be taking part in the test and commented - "This is a new experience for me with a car I consider very interesting. I had the chance to see for myself how good the series is last year in Bahrain and, together with the team, I believe we can do a very good job in these two days."

As he set about adapting to the new car Vitantonio set an impressive lap time of 1:44.906 around the Dubai circuit, managing to place himself in contention with the leaders until the closing moments of the session, when a group of drivers including Jean Alesi, Gianni Morbidelli, Heniz Harold Frentzen, Chris Buncombe, Christian Jones and Bertrand Baguetter joined together on fresh tires to improve their times.