Just how much of a psychological blow was struck by Jenson Button in Australia on Sunday we will discover this coming weekend.
And the recipient of this particular strike I am referring to was his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
The first few seconds, that initial 100 metres of the race around Melbourne's Albert Park, could prove the most significant of this season.
In that timeframe, that distance, from second on the grid Button beat polesitter Hamilton off the line, and with it he went on to take the chequered flag.
Nothing new there you might think as such a scenario has occurred on many occasions in the past.
To achieve his pole lap, though, Hamilton has admitted there was nothing left in the locker, he gave it everything he had.
What we witnessed was Hamilton backing up his words with actions because after his wretched 2011, he said coming into this season he was stoked, pumped, claiming he could win every race if given the car.
McLaren have provided him with that car because make no mistake there is going to be no Red Bull walkover this season.
If Sebastian Vettel wants to make history by becoming only the third driver in Formula One to win three successive titles the 24-year-old is going to have to do it the hard way.
When McLaren come flying out of the traps the way they have done you can put your money on them being there to the bitter end.
But this is no longer 'Hamilton's team', last year saw to that as Button truly came of age in Formula One, more than in his title-winning year of 2009.
Even he would concede that after a few years picking up scraps as he floundered in a series of wretched cars, the Brawn he stepped into that season was a one-of-a-kind fluke.
You sense that during his two years to date with McLaren, Button has developed as a driver and gained experience beyond measure.
Post-race in the paddock on Sunday McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh came out with one telling comment that spoke volumes as to the driver that is 32-year-old Button these days.
Whitmarsh said: "He has just got stronger and stronger. He has such a mature, laid-back, easy manner that belies the underlying hunger to win he possesses."
Contrast that to Hamilton who allowed his private life to intrude on his career on track last year, the consequences of which have since been well documented.
Button took full advantage as Hamilton suffered his first defeat to a team-mate since he made his F1 debut in 2007.
It would appear the confidence gained from such a feat has not been wasted, as Button ably demonstrated in Melbourne.
Initially in qualifying because as mentioned earlier, whereas Hamilton gave it everything for the perfect lap, Button's was apparently not so ideal as he lost his way in the final sector, with the time wasted probably good enough to have stolen pole.
And so to the race, or at least those first few seconds because what Button did to Hamilton reminded me of what Hamilton did to Fernando Alonso in the former's maiden grand prix.
What occurred on Sunday was not as dramatic as that five years ago when Hamilton diced his way past the then reigning champion into the first corner, but the effect was just the same in that it sent out a message.
Even more striking was the way Button opened a gap to Hamilton, who was unable to respond to his fellow Briton's lightning start, and the poise with which he led for 57 of the 58 laps.
You only had to look at Hamilton's demeanour on the podium and in the post-race interviews, during which he conceded his start was "shocking", to sense all appeared to not be well in his world again.
Hamilton has today dismissed the suggestion, that instead he was simply not happy at going backwards, and so why should he disguise his disappointment.
At least in Australia his disappointment was eased by the fact he departed the paddock with mum Carmen and girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger by his side, rather than the lonesome figure that was often the case last season, and they were there to share his angst and ease his woes.
As to whether there is any lingering psychological damage from what Button did to Hamilton, we don't have long to wait.
