After endless speculation, the McLaren Formula 1 team has announced Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button as their drivers for the 2015 Formula 1 season at a press conference held in its UK headquarters this morning.
Following five years at Ferrari with no championship titles secured, Spaniard Alonso has decided to join the McLaren-Honda project for next year, while the Woking-based outfit preferred to keep their more experienced driver Jenson Button alongside Alonso, instead of Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen who has failed to impress in 2014.
Despite losing his seat, Kevin Magnussen will remain an important part of the team, as test and reserve driver.
In McLaren’s official statement, Fernando Alonso said: “I have never hidden my deep admiration for Ayrton Senna, my favourite driver, my idol on track, my reference.
“I still remember, as a kid, the posters in my wardrobe, my toy cars in which I dreamed I would one day emulate Ayrton, and the kart that my father built for my older sister, and that I ended up falling in love with. That kart had the livery of one of the most legendary partnerships in the history of Formula 1, McLaren-Honda, the car that Ayrton drove, the same partnership to which I am now honoured to join, to take part in the next Formula 1 world championship.
“I am joining this project with enormous enthusiasm and determination, knowing that it may require some time to achieve the results we are aiming for, which is no problem for me.”
Meanwhile, Jenson Button said: “I am extremely excited to be embarking on my 16th year in Formula 1 and my sixth season for McLaren.
“Like Fernando, I am certain that McLaren and Honda will achieve great things together, and I feel sure that, working together, all of us will pull incredibly hard to create a brilliantly effective winning team.”