Romain Grosjean believes that Red Bull Racing may face challenges once Max Verstappen decides to leave the team. While Verstappen's dominance on track has been undeniable—winning four consecutive world titles—his presence off the track is also a key stabilising factor for the team.

Whether he has enjoyed them is another matter altogether. Verstappen has repeatedly made it clear that he has no plans to race into his forties like Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, and expansions to the F1 calendar have sparked repeated complaints from the 27-year-old.

Formula One season has all the makings of a white-knuckle 24-race celebration to mark 75 years since the inaugural seven-race championship back in 1950. With the traditional three-week summer break in August the F1 circus pitches up in the desert of Abu Dhabi for its final show on December 7.