Conrad's co-driver Daniel Barritt talks about life alongside the former FIA African Rally Champion in this year's World Rally Championship.  

What’s Conrad like when you’re in the rally car?

Good. We get on well. We both have our routines when we’re getting to the start of stages, but we don’t have any problems.

Tell us about those routines...

Well, for it’s pretty straightforward what I have to do – it’s linked to the timing and pace notes. When we’re a minute from our start time I set my watch to countdown, then I check the cameras are on; notes are at the right page; timecard away where it should be; the trip meter is reset, those kind of things. If there’s been time, Conrad will have been out of the car doing some stretching, probably had a drink. When we drive up to the start, he seems to have his door or window open for as long as possible – but, to be honest, by that point in proceedings were both into our own worlds and kind of doing things instinctively.

Do you talk much in the car, between the stages?

Yes. Pretty much about the stage we’ve just done or the one coming next. Conrad wants to know exactly what I can remember from the recce about the next stage: what’s the character, the first few corners, those kind of things. Basically, we’re trying to get as much information in before we start as possible. Sometimes, if we’ve got a long road section on the way back into service, we’ll listen to some music.

Who chooses the music?

It’s a bit of a mix. It’s stored on the telephone. There’s a bit of dance music on there – I think that’s Conrad’s, and there’s some of my stuff. It’s a good mix and it gives you a chance just to relax a little bit before you get to service.

How difficult was it to come from co-driving in P-WRC up to the Citroen Junior Team?

It was a big step for me. I think the thing which took me the time to get used to was the jobs that people do in the team. Obviously, the Citroen Junior Team is bigger than any team I’ve worked with before and it took me a couple of rallies to work out who to go to and for what reason. Once I understood those channels of information, it was all good. It’s a great atmosphere in the team, though.

And it was a baptism of fire on Rally Ireland?

It certainly was. It was pouring with rain, nobody really knew what to do with the tyres and it was a tricky event for the notes as well – so many corners.

How have you found the speed of the C4 WRC?

I had an idea in my mind of what to expect, but it still came as a shock. It’s so much quicker. As a co-driver, the biggest difference you find is that you just don’t have any breathing space. It’s corner, corner, corner all of the time. If there’s a 50-metre straight in a Group N car, you have time to pause for breath – try that sitting alongside Conrad and you’re on that corner before you’ve managed to get the note out!

Are you enjoying it?

Oh yes. Definitely. Once I’d settled into the car and the team after a couple of rallies, I really started to enjoy it. And the last three rallies have been very good for us.

What’s been the highlight of the season so far?

Greece. Finishing fifth was the highest I’d ever been in the World Rally Championship. From a personal point of view, that was great, but as well as that, this event kind of marked a turnaround from some pretty bad luck we’d been having at the start of the season.

What are you looking forward to most in the next part of the season?

Finland. Definitely Finland. And Australia. Actually, I’m looking forward to all of the rallies. Finland in particular, though. I did that event last year, so I have some idea of the terrain and Rally Poland last month will have helped me have some idea of what’s to come in terms of speed from the rally car and the jumps. I’m going through the pacenotes and watching the in-car from Finland last year, which is also helping me to get a handle on what’s to come.

How are those pacenotes looking for Finland?

Well, Conrad uses a number system, with seven being the fastest corner. Put it this way, the pages are full of sixes and sevens, with very few ones and twos! It’s going to be great to get out there with Conrad and the Citroen Junior Team. I can’t wait!