Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has no doubt that this year's title rivals Brawn and Red Bull will remain part of the championship fight in 2010.
While Brawn and Red Bull battled it out at the front, habitual championship combatants McLaren and Ferrari were left to squabble over third place in the constructors' standings this year.
There have been suggestions that the major regulation changes and the confusion caused by only a handful of teams trying KERS and not everyone discovering the double diffuser loophole, made this an anomalous season - and that Ferrari and McLaren will monopolise the wins again next year.
But Domenicali reckons this year's top teams will be just as tough to beat when the world championship resumes next March.
He thinks Brawn is already well advanced with its 2010 car, and that Red Bull's strong end to 2009 makes it a real threat too.
"I respect them a lot," he said.
"Brawn had such a huge advantage at the beginning that for sure - without saying - they will have swapped development to their new car a long time ago.
"I know Ross [Brawn] very well and for sure he is doing that.
"With regard to Red Bull, I think they did a great package - a really great package - for sure they will be there next year too."
Domenicali is confident that Ferrari will swiftly shrug off its poor 2009 and give Brawn and Red Bull a tough fight.
He pointed out that Ferrari had bounced back strongly from slumps in the recent past.
"In 2005 we suffered like hell like this year, we had the lone win at Indianapolis and that season was very difficult," said Domenicali.
"The memory is very short, but we have these periods and we are used to getting out of them with the Ferrari spirit and the Ferrari resources."