With the Formula One season now over, preparations for 2009 will begin in earnest.

Two teams - Toyota and BMW-Sauber - have already confirmed the launch date for their new cars while Honda Racing plans to bring one of racing's famous names back to Formula One. 

Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late three-time world champion Ayrton Senna, will get his first taste of an F1 car later this month with Honda at a scheduled test in Barcelona.

Ayrton, who was tragically killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, had his greatest F1 success while associated with Honda - winning all three of his world titles when the manufacturer powered the McLaren team.

Honda says they are using the test to see if Senna is ready to make the jump to Formula One as early as next season.

"We continue to explore all the driver options available to us for next season," said Honda team boss Ross Brawn. "Our objective is to have the best drivers available to us next season and our evaluation of Bruno's performance will be rigorous."

Senna, who won twice this past season while finishing runner-up to Giorgio Pantano in the GP2 series, knows his famous name carries with it some lofty expectations.

"Every Brazilian always faces pressure, even more by being the nephew of Ayrton.

"Although I am still only in my fourth year of motor racing, I have wanted to test an F1 car for a very long time and I feel that I am ready for that challenge. It is particularly special for me to have the chance to work with Ross Brawn. I hope to show the team what I can do, so it's up to me now to do a good job."

Toro Rosso, which may be looking for two new drivers next season, is also said to be interested in testing Senna.

Honda have yet to officially confirm their driver lineup for 2009 but Jenson Button has an option for next year and is expected to return. That leaves veteran Rubens Barrichello on the bubble.

"We want to look at some new guys," Honda CEO Nick Fry tells autosport.com.

"It doesn't mean we have definitely decided to go that route but we want to evaluate all the options open to us - and we will only be testing people who have not got great experience in an F1 car.

"Rubens is 100 percent aware of the situation. He knows he is in with a chance but he knows we want to evaluate other people as well, so I think he has been very grown up about it.

"We have to make the right decision not the quick decision."

Meanwhile, BWM-Sauber will unveil their 2009 car on January 20th in Valencia, Spain. Toyota have set January 16th as the date for their unveiling at the team's headquarters in Cologne, Germany.