The team at Mercedes will be feeling quite smug at the moment having secured their fifth constructors’ title at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Add Lewis Hamilton’s world championship win to that then you wouldn’t be wrong in labelling 2018 a perfect year for the German manufacturer.

After Ferrari came flying out of the blocks in the early stages of the season it looked like Mercedes might have a real battle on their hands to retain the championship.

However, they once again exerted their superiority to comfortably cruise to yet another win.

The neutral fan will be hoping that the chasing pack can put up a bit more of a fight next season and many will be looking to Sebastian Vettel to finally end the Mercedes monopoly.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, however, might just have his eyes on another challenger.

Max Verstappen clocked some incredible drives this season but a lack of experience and poor decision making cost him a lot of points.

His temper got the better of him after a collision with Esteban Ocon cost him first place in Brazil and was seen pushing the Frenchman in the paddock in the aftermath of the incident.

That followed a series of incidents that have plagued the Dutchman all year long, frustrating both his team and his fans no end.

Wolff believes that if the youngster can cut out the mistakes and add a bit of maturity to his driving that he could possibly claim a world championship of his own one day.

“You can see there is a future champion coming together, unbelievable talent and speed,” Wolff said.

“I think once the raw edges are off, he will be somebody who will be a world champion one day.

“In a few years, he will look at the footage of [Brazil] and maybe have his own opinion as to whether that was the right behaviour or not.

“But you can’t accelerate those things. This is a learning process.”

Patience was certainly something that Verstappen seemed to lack in 2018.

However, at just 21-years of age, the Red Bull man has plenty of time to perfect his trade, and we can surely expect to see a lot more of him in the coming years.

He definitely has incredible potential and if he can start to show some consistency and level-headedness, then he really could be in for a very successful career.

Does he have what it takes to dethrone Hamilton?

Wolff certainly thinks so.