With Abu Dhabi's dull season finale thankfully just a fading memory, the steady trickle of announcements last week about 2018 Formula 1 car launch dates marked the official switch-on of excitement for the season ahead.
It's the time of year when things get serious again: teams flat-out getting their new challengers in order; the nerves starting to heighten as the potential for smiles or tears on the first day of testing edges ever closer; plus fans and media getting more excited as the show gears up for getting back on the road.
Until the first round in Melbourne, it may well be just 'the winter world championship', but in the modern world of smartphones, 24/7 news, social media and a constant thirst for content, it's a hugely important time for F1, as it serves as an enticing opening act to the main event.