Rob Huff's quest for a drivers' title in the World Touring Car Championship has begun with a series of extensive testing sessions to get his RML Chevrolet ready for the 2008 campaign.

The Cambridge driver, who was retained on another three-year deal by the Wellingborough-based team this month, has already been out to Spain and is now in Portugal.

Huff, who turned 28 on Christmas Day, has made no secret of his desire to push on from his first three years in touring cars' top tier towards to the championship and he will take some heart from being faster than his team-mates Alain Menu and Nicola Larini in the first session.

He said: "We've just been out to Valencia for two days and it all went very well. All three drivers were there. I did the first couple of days in the old car then Alain and Nicola finished off.

"I came out fastest, which I know doesn't mean too much at the moment, but it was nice to be quickest out of the lot in the first session of 2008 and have an edge."

The trip to Spain was mainly to work on the new aero dynamics on the old car, with Huff getting his first glimpse of the new 2008 ride this week before he returns to the UK tomorrow to do some more testing closer to home.

Huff added: "The level of technology we're getting up to with aero-packages and engines is quickly moving up to Formula 1 type stuff, but everything felt really good in Valencia.

"I'm out in Portugal now with the brand new car which I have really been looking forward to putting through its paces.

"We had a good couple of weeks off leading up to Christmas, which gives you the chance to recharge your batteries because in 2006 we were testing right up to Christmas Eve.

"I have enjoyed the time off, it gave me time to work on getting my weight down, but we're back in the full swing of things now and constantly need to keep the ball rolling because it is going to be a tough season and we hope to be right up there in the drivers and the constructors tables."