It’s a question that could’ve been answered very quickly in the past few seasons. Of course, who else but Lewis Hamilton. And who would argue that?

Mercedes have had the most impressive set up for the past seven Formula One seasons, one of the best drivers winning world championships consecutively, more recently one of the best ‘wingmen’ alongside him in Valtteri Bottas and the fastest car out on track.

But I hear you cry, ‘Formula One has become so boring, it’s all the car!’

But, and stay with me here, this season – I do genuinely think a change is in the air. After an epic battle at the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix with Max Verstappen that, yes – granted saw Hamilton take the win, it didn’t quite tell the full story.

Suddenly Mercedes have come into a season on the backfoot, and with the reemergence of Red Bull, it has given them more than just a slight course for concern.

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Verstappen topped the timing screens in testing ahead of the season, and then – for the first time in his Formula One career was fastest in all three practice sessions and snatched pole position in Bahrain. 

Undoubtedly that RB16 is a fast car, and on paper, it proved to be the fastest car out on track, something Mercedes hasn’t had to contend with for a while.

Winning championships is not a new thing for team principal Christian Horner and chief Helmut Marko. Back in 2011 Red Bull were the team to beat, with Sebastian Vettel winning four world titles on the trot for them, until Lewis Hamilton moved over to Mercedes in 2014 – and subsequently won six world titles – only stopped in 2016 by his team-mate Nico Rosberg.

This season, Verstappen now needs his team-mate Sergio Perez to step up to the plate. And after issues on the formation lap – we weren’t quite able to see the strength of the Red Bull package over the weekend. However, the Mexican did qualify P11, which doesn’t much help Verstappen out front.

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And it’s not just Red Bull upping the pace this season. McLaren have easily looked one of the most comfortable teams out on track with Lando Norris now alongside Daniel Ricciardo – a seasoned pro and race-winning driver.

After qualifying seventh in the opening race of the season, Norris finished fourth after some impressive overtaking throughout the race, despite coming into the weekend complaining he lacked confidence in the car.

Meanwhile, AlphaTauri – rapid. Not only did Yuki Tsunoda score points on debut with a new team and overtake two-time world champion Fernando Alonso on track for position, but he scored points on debut in Formula One as a rookie competing in his first ever F1 race – not something to be sniffed at.