Fernando Alonso First To Test McLaren-Honda

McLaren new boy Fernando Alonso will be the one to kick off the new McLaren-Honda era in the first pre-season test in Jerez. February 1st marks the return of the famous partnership as teams start to test their 2015 challengers in preparation for the new season. McLaren's MP4-30 will be launched on January 29th just a couple of days before the first test.

The former double world champion will be the first to test the new car and he posted on Twitter on Thursday morning that he was 'excited' to see the new car that the Woking team have been working on all winter. McLaren also this week announced a new partnership with American giant CNN, and their sponsorship will be on the new car.

After a poor 2014 by their lofty standards, McLaren will be hoping the rekindling of their most famous partnership in history will bear fruit. Ditching Mercedes engines and ending their 19 year relationship after only managing fifth in the constructors standings in 2014, McLaren hope to see improvements. After seeing Honda's appeal to be able to alter their engines over the season won, they'll be hoping the engine suppliers give them a strong car.

Honda themselves haven't been a part of Formula One since their works team, for whom current Mclaren driver Jenson Button drove for, pulled out of the sport in 2008 after a few disappointing seasons in which they barely scored any points despite having the strong driver lineup of Button and Rubens Barrichello.

McLaren are the third team to announce who'll drive on what days of the test in Jerez. Only Mercedes, McLaren and Toro Rosso have announced their driver/day lineups.