A lead of 71 points from Czech Adam Lacko (Buggyra Freightliner) and 94 over his German MAN colleague Jochen Hahn, may seem unassailable. However, there are still a maximum of 400 points up for grabs till the flag falls for the final time in Le Mans on 11 October, however improbable it is that any one driver will win all of those.

Just how soon a large advantage like Kiss’s can crumble is something Jochen Hahn can sing a ballad about.

In 2006, with four race weekends still to go, there remained (under the rules then) a maximum of 240 points for the taking. Hahn, then a Mercedes pilot, had a 10-points advantage over his compatriot Gerd Körber (Buggyra Freightliner) and almost 40 over MAN pilot Antonio Albacete. But the bantam from Altensteig then had to battle with a series of gremlins that knocked him out of race after race. And who was crowned champion at the end? Not Hahn, not Körber, but Albacete.

Over just four race weekends the Spaniard had gained a whopping 93 points on Hahn, who had to make do with third place in the championship, and 56 on runner-up Körber.

To wit, it’s going to be a while yet before Kiss can sit back in his safety seat and relax.

His pursuers will – till the last gasp – mercilessly exploit every slightest sign of weakness in their desperate attempts to catch up.