The silence is shattered. Far away an engine has fired. First gear was selected six seconds ago and the Citroen C4 WRC is now travelling well in excess of 200kp/h.

Now it’s the brakes. The speed is slashed in an instant. With three flicks of the finger the C4’s into second gear. And sideways. With pin-point accuracy, the car’s nose kisses the corner’s apex while the trees on the outside are showered in gravel.

Front wheels vaguely straight. Bang. Back on the throttle. Hard on the throttle. Flick, flick, flick. Back into top gear. The C4 has gone just as soon as it arrived.

Roadside, the dust settles. The noise fades. The stander-by tries to take in what he’s just seen. He can’t. It’s sensory overload. Cars aren’t meant to be driven like that. Are they?

Yes.

Particularly World Rally Cars.

Welcome to Conrad’s world.