I am going to make a long range whether forecast — whether or not the ongoing Mercedes Formula One championship game of monopoly will see the German legends running away with the title again next year.

I admit this is a far-off foretelling so, if it goes drastically and embarrassingly awry, people will hopefully not remember and scoff at my bold prediction.

Here goes: I reckon teenage prodigy, teenage sensation, budding genius, call him what you like, Max Verstappen will overshadow current bright stars Nico Rosberg and three times champion Lewis Hamilton, in a Grand Prix crown chase revitalised by upcoming and revolutionary technical changes.

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to detect the evidence mounting up in favour of a title turnaround and the looming and ominous threat posed by the ever-improving 18-year-old Red Bull fast rising star.

And, for a moment, I’ll delve back into my own F1 background when I had the first-ever interview with then unknown Michael Schumacher, a newcomer, who in answer to my question: ”What are your dreams?” dead pan, he responded “I don’t deal in dreams. Only reality. Full stop.” Wow ….

To an amazing degree Verstappen, as down to earth as they come despite his tender years and youthful ambition, echoes the realistic attitude of his all-time hero Schumacher whose multi-title achievements he plans and coldly promises to emulate. And is not shy of saying so.

Groomed painstakingly by his father Jos, nicknamed “The Bruiser” during his own 106 grands prix career, who spent £500,000 developing and shaping his juvenile karting career — 59 wins from 60 races — Max says matter-of-factly: ”I can be the champion in the next five years. Maybe sooner. That’s my plan.”

He is making wastepaper of the record books, wonderboy turned superman, with Chris Horner, his Red Bull mentor who tempted him from Torro Rosso, enthusing shamelessly: ”No doubt he is a champion waiting to happen. He is absolutely brilliant.”

Look at his list of honours: At 17 years and 161 days he was the youngest-ever F1 racer when he made his debut in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. He was the youngest ever to lead an F1 race — and the youngest podium placer as well as the youngest F1 victor with his 2016 win in Spain. And it goes on and on and on … and will, I am certain in accord with just about everybody along the paddock,,. continue to do so.

It is small wonder that the vastly experienced likes of Horner, who outwitted Ferrari in his capture of the fast rising star, hurried to recruit Verstappen when his monumental potential began to show itself against all the odds and an army of experienced and committed drivers not prepared to make any allowances for a baby-faced newcomer.

Not that he wanted or expected any sympathetic or favoured approach to his presence on track — and to underpin his resolve to be a winner he roughed up rivals in startling style, pressuring even the biggest, hard-core stars like four-time-champion Vettel and matching the confrontational manner of Finnish tough guy and ex-champ Kimi Raikkonen.

It was a show of daring that edged occasionally towards over-enthusiasm and carelessness and triggered from the very experienced Felipe Massa: ”He’s dangerous.”

And from Romain Grosjean, whom he clipped in Monaco: “He’s on the edge.” There have been plenty of other stinging remarks and, I believe, behind the scenes and in private a warning from the F1 hierarchy.

None of which will put the brakes on his ambition to don the F1 crown. And he says: ”My fighter mentality comes from my father. I am always doing things faster than I expected. And I try to be realistic.”

Echoes of Schumacher there ….

He adds: “When you are meeting targets like I am right now it takes the pressure off. And instead of just saying ‘I have to do it’, you get on with it and do it.

“There is always a risk, but I am prepared to take it. And no matter what people think or what they say I will always try to do my best. I am happy to sacrifice as much as necessary to achieve my goal of being the best driver in Formula One — and for the long term.”

I can see it happening. For sure. And, I suspect, so can just about every other body with an interest in the sport that brings the best and the worst out of its contestants.

Just remember, if it happens, you read it here. If it doesn’t … well, when the time comes, all this will be a forgotten forecast. Hopefully!