To some, that might sound a little boastful, but the thing is that there is no reason not to believe him.

The pattern of the last couple of years in Formula 1 has been exactly what Hamilton was talking about after probably his most comfortable win of the season.

He has tended to start the year well enough, but not necessarily noticeably stronger than his team-mate, or his other closest rivals, only to find another gear from about halfway through the season and move off into the stratosphere.

The worry in 2019 for Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari, and anyone interested in a competitive season is that, this year, that take-off appears to have happened early. If that impression is correct, the season is effectively over already.

Hamilton heads for the next race in Austria this coming weekend with a 36-point lead over Bottas. That means Bottas would have to win a race and take at least fourth place at another without Hamilton scoring at all to catch him.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, in third place and a massive 76 points adrift, is so far away he is almost in a different championship.