His new contract, which sees him remain with Aston Martin for the 2026 season, will see Fernando Alonso reunited with Honda.
Of course, one wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Spaniard still wakes up at night in a cold sweat after the last time he worked with the Japanese manufacturer, those distant days when Honda reunited with McLaren only to find that it had got the new hybrid era totally wrong.
The first season alone was an unmitigated disaster, from pre-season testing when the McLarens were barely able to complete a lap, through the ludicrous grid drops as drivers Alonso and Jenson Button took on fresh power units, right through to Brazil, where the Spaniard opted to watch the race unfold from the comfort of a deckchair after suffering yet another retirement.
Even when Honda finally began to get its act together, the two-time world champion still compared the power unit to that of a GP2 engine.
Of course, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then, and Honda is now the second most successful manufacturer of the 'new era', having won 52 of the 70 races since the start of 2021, the first year of its partnership with Red Bull.
Now, with Honda partnering with Aston Martin from 2026, the Japanese manufacturer is looking forward to working with Alonso again.
"When I worked with him from 2015 to 2017, it was a very difficult situation for both Honda and the team," Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe told Autosport in a masterpiece of understatement. "It was a particularly frustrating period in our history, and there were times when our relationship was strained.
"But, I think we have become stronger because we overcame that frustration," he continued. Alonso has also been very active since then.
"I'm glad that we can overcome that painful experience together and fight together for victory once again. I hope that we can aim for the championship together and win together."
While linked with both Red Bull and Mercedes, Alonso, who had previously said he could envisage racing into his 50s, subsequently admitted that he was still unsure if he wished to continue in F1.
Then came Thursday's announcement.
"I spoke with him in Las Vegas," said Watanabe. "At the time, he hadn't decided on his next contract yet. But he subsequently came when we were talking with Mike Krack, he said 'Good luck' and 'If we have a chance, let's race together.' We just spoke a few words.
"We had many conversations with Aston Martin regarding our partnership starting in 2026," said Watanabe. "During that time, we exchanged opinions about drivers too and we shared an understanding between us and Aston Martin that Alonso was definitely a top-class driver. Aston Martin asked us if there would be any problems from Honda if they extended his contract. The situation was shared at various stages.
"But Honda did not make any requests regarding this matter. In any case, we should naturally discuss what kind of driver line-up we need to win, and it was in this context that the team decided to extend Alonso's contract."
"Part of the decision to stay at Aston is because they are with Honda for 2026," said Alonso on Thursday. "They've been world champions for the last few years. So I think they will have a baseline for 2026 that is already very strong."
"Honda is definitely a manufacturer that has so much success in Formula One and not just Formula One, in the world of motorsport, that is always a company that I respected," Alonso subsequently told ESPN, "a company that it didn't work for us in McLaren, in the years that they came to the sport. But right after that they fix all the problems and they are currently dominating the sport."
The Spaniard revealed that his decision to remain with Aston Martin extends beyond F1 and even beyond his racing career.
"It's a lifetime project in a way for me, this is the longest contract I ever signed in my career. This is something that will keep me linked with Aston for many, many years to come. Let's see which role, let's see how many more years I will drive.
"But even after driving, I will use 25-plus years of experience in Formula One, plus another 10 or 15 outside F1, so nearly 40 years' motorsport experience in the benefit of a team that gave me this opportunity now in this moment in my career."
Asked if this means remains with the Silverstone-based outfit even after he retires, he said: "Probably, yes, but I don't know when I will stop driving. If I keep driving many, many, many years, I signed a contract that I will be in the car. If I stop a little bit earlier than the contract driving, I will be in a different role, yes."
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