LONDON : Max Verstappen may well become the fifth Formula One driver to win four world championships in a row next year but he and Red Bull will be hard-pushed to be as dominant as in 2023.
Rivals, commercial rights holders Liberty Media and millions of fans are all hoping to see more of a battle for the top of the podium when the racing starts again in Bahrain next March.
Whether that will happen is the question nobody really has the answer to before the new cars and tyres are put through their paces in testing, and the uncertainty creates some suspense going into the winter break.
"I think for the sake of all of us and for F1, and even for Red Bull to be honest, we need not just McLaren but Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes and everybody to close the gap," said Sky TV commentator and ex-racer Martin Brundle.
It may be wishful thinking to expect a big change at the front, with Verstappen only getting better and team mate Sergio Perez posing no threat, but even Red Bull recognise they may never have it so good again.
"This season, I doubt it will be repeated in my lifetime," said team boss Christian Horner.
"With such strong opposition as well - such strong teams and stable regulations - I am sure next year is going to be a lot closer, a lot tighter and a different kind of challenge."
Only Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have managed four successive titles since the championship started in 1950 but Verstappen already deserves comparison.
His 19 wins in 22 races, and the team's sweep of all but one, were astonishing and are now part of the sport's rich history.
The Dutch 26-year-old took more points, more podiums and led more laps in a single campaign than anyone before and his win rate
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