Breakthrough: Carbon fibre

Now, I’m not the right chap to wave the Union Flag. Fond as I am of the UK, I am nevertheless a proud citizen of two Republics (Ireland and France), born in the Rebel County of Cork, and now living in a land whose national anthem graphically encourages monarch-topping. I’m very badly placed to celebrate all things British.

But this article is nevertheless guaranteed to make the chest of any subject of His Majesty swell with pride. Because we’re going to trace – and celebrate – a very British breakthrough. Yes folks: carbon fibre is as British as bully beef and Doc Martens, and we’re about to prove it. So doff your bowler hat and/or zip up your Ginger Spice Union Flag minidress – we’re going to get all patriotic.

But first, what is carbon fibre? Well, we probably know it best as that incredibly tough material that allows nutters like Karun to have the kind of stomach-churning crashes he wrote about recently in Crash! and to, remarkably often, walk away.