Ferrari will run away with Sunday's American Grand Prix, and the world champions will return stronger than ever in 2003, according to Eddie Irivine.
Irvine said that he could not see anyone beating Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, who between them have won 13 of the 15 races so far this year, at Indianapolis.
Schumacher took his record-equalling fifth world title more than two months ago and Ferrari have also secured their fourth constructors' title in a row.
Irvine, the 1999 championship runner-up with Ferrari and now with Jaguar, could not envisage anyone mounting much more of a challenge next year either.
"The guys there [at Ferrari] are telling me that they've made bigger steps for next year than they've made between last year and this, already. It's kind of scary," Irvine told reporters.
"Williams are unreliable. They don't do a job anywhere near the level of Ferrari, that's quite clear.
"Ferrari finish races while everyone else is breaking down. And you can't really stop them having a one-two if you're parked on the verge after 28 laps."
Schumacher won this year's title in record-breaking time, also securing a record 10th victory of the season, and has now completed an extraordinary 20 races in a row in the points with 17 successive podiums.
"You should never be too confident," the German cautioned however. "You know racing and you know my statistics and I haven't retired from one race this year.
"So one day it will hit me. We obviously hope it will not happen, but you know how it goes."