lark could drive anything, anywhere – often winning in a wide variety of cars on the same day. And his experiences ranged from mud-plugging Mini Moke to wallowing ‘Yank Tank’, from 200mph Indycar on a twisting Swiss mountain road to two-stroke and three-wheeling saloons, and from the Lister-Jaguar ‘Flat Iron’ to a flat-over-crest rally car.

His performance on the 1966 RAC Rally was astounding, matching the Scandinavians in the forests after a single day’s testing in Kent woodland. Experienced Brian Melia’s disappointment at losing his Lotus Cortina drive to Clark was quickly subsumed by admiration as he viewed from the co-driver’s seat the Scot’s rapid adaptation and rare speed: here was a potential champion.

Even the eventual accident was a “proper job”, leaping a Scottish ditch, digging in and rolling: “We tripped over the Border!” joked Clark, clearly happy to be home for a time and having fun. Not wanting it to end, he insisted that they stay on to spectate. The team, wary to begin with, loved him.