After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the tail end of last year, F1 seemed to be losing some of it's entertainment value.
With Max Verstappen winning 19 of the 22 races last term, more Red Bull dominance was expected for 2024. Given what they'd achieved in the previous two seasons, that was the natural trail of thought.
However, just weeks before the start of the new F1 season and the sport is suddenly intriguing again. Perhaps for the first time since Verstappen edged out Lewis Hamilton in controversial circumstances in 2021.
The cars haven't even been shown off to the world yet but there's already plenty of talking points - and plenty to keep fans interested.
F1 could be set for a turning point amid intrigue over Christian Horner and Lewis Hamilton
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There was, first, the bombshell news regarding Hamilton's move to Ferrari.
The Briton himself thought that ship had sailed a few years ago, especially with his form on the grid dwindling.
Hamilton has, after all, failed to win a race for the past two years. Something that certainly seemed unfeasible when he was dominating the sport and leaving his rivals trailing in his wake.
While his struggles can be attributed to Mercedes perhaps letting him down, some have written the Stevenage-born racer off as a faded force.
Ferrari don't seem to agree with that, however.
Hamilton insists he's committed to Mercedes as he approaches his final year with the team and his career so far suggests he will do everything he can to win a record eighth F1 title with the Silver Arrows this year.
But given how Mercedes have struggled in recent years, it's hard to see them closing the gap on Red Bull right away.
Hamilton clearly feels his chances of more success are boosted by his move to Ferrari.
Otherwise, he'd have stayed with Mercedes, a team he's been close with ever since racing as a junior.
It'll be fascinating to see where Mercedes go from here. They do, of course, have George Russell ready to be promoted to be the team's No 1 driver.
But Hamilton will leave behind a huge void.
And if Mercedes have been toiling with the 39-year-old in their ranks, it's not unfeasible to think the side will regress further without one of the sport's best-ever drivers in their side.
Then there's the Horner situation, one that has rocked the world of F1 just as it prepares to return to prominence.
Earlier in the week, it emerged Red Bull were investigating the 50-year-old amid complaints of 'inappropriate behaviour'.
The complaints have come from a female member of staff and relate to Horner's work.
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He strongly denies the allegations and is fighting to clear his name.
Those close to Horner believe he's a pawn in a power struggle behind the scenes at Red Bull, despite their dominance of Formula One in recent years.
But while Verstappen was being tipped to add another title to his collection, the uncertainty surrounding Red Bull's leadership is yet another fascinating sub-plot.
Reports have suggested Jos Verstappen, the 26-year-old's father, has a 'badly damaged' relationship with Horner.
Yet there's no escaping the fact that, regardless of what Horner may or may not have done, he's one of the best team principals in F1 history.
Christian Horner is under investigation from Red Bull but denies the allegations against him
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If Horner goes amid Red Bull's ongoing investigation, then Verstappen could suffer from the consequences of any exit.
Red Bull will show off their new RB20 later this week, with the team still intending to press ahead with those plans.
But F1 could be set for a big turning point this year - and it'll be intriguing to see whether that happens.
