I only gained her a few seconds. Her dad pressed hard on his accelerator, and his GT 500 roared out from underneath its multicoloured blanket, so fast that the cloth flew back in the air as if a giant was throwing it over his shoulder.

Amy was already turning on the first bank, but she was well used to that turn by now, and cut in hard to the corner, maximising her speed but also minimising (sorry about the big words – making it big, making it little) the distance she had to go round as she did so.

Amy still knew it was no good trying to beat her father’s supercar on speed alone. It was going to be all about skill. She was aware of him right behind her as she came out of the corner and into the straight. She swerved, blocking his way. He tried to take her on the right, but she moved right; then he threw his car round sharply to the left, but she had anticipated that, and jammed the back of the TurboChaser in front of the nose of his car again.

“Wow!” said Norma, watching (all the parents and the police and the other children had gone to sit in a little spectator stand behind the fence near the starting line). “Your daughter is a really good driver!”

Despite herself – and despite all the trouble Amy’s driving ability had caused – Suzi found herself smiling inside at that.

“Olé!” shouted Colin, as the TurboChaser continued to block the GT 500’s attempts at overtaking. Every time the supercar shifted even a millimetre to get past, the TurboChaser seemed to know which way it was going, and get there first.

“Why are you shouting ‘Olé!’?” said Janet. “Are you about to sing that Spanish song we all like?”

“No,” said Colin. “When I go and see my football team play, sometimes when they pass the ball really well, and the other team can’t get a touch, that’s what the crowd shouts. ‘Olé!’ they shout, every time one of our team gets the ball. So I’m doing it now, every time she blocks his way.” He looked up. “Olé!”

Amy blocked her dad again, going into the second bend.

“Olé!” shouted Colin, and so did Jack, not as a sarcastic repeat, but because he was joining in.

Amy blocked Peter again!

“Olé!” shouted Sanjay and Janet, and Rahul did as well.

And again she blocked him, coming out into the straight!

Prisha, frowning, as if not sure she should, went, “Olé!” She paused. “Sorry. Do you mind that I’m supporting Amy?” she added, turning to Suzi. “I mean, obviously, this is dangerous and everything, and I don’t condone that, but—”

“I don’t mind at all,” said Suzi, before shouting, along with all of them – as Amy swung the TurboChaser round again to hold up the GT 500 – “OLÉ!”