It’s fair to say our ‘things to admire in 2020’ list is looking pretty short right now. But two of them are combined here. It’s a Toyota GR Yaris – one of this year’s best cars, and therefore one of the best this decade, too – painted to celebrate the key workers who’ve helped us through the awful mire of a global pandemic.

If your bottom lip isn’t quivering enough yet, let us activate Full Sob Mode: it’s been designed by Welsh schoolkids. Well, a Welsh schoolkid: Alice Goodliffe from Ysgol Uwchradd, a comprehensive in Plasmawr, Cardiff.

Spot the line of key workers – a police officer, nurse, teacher and construction and shop workers – down the side. The rainbow flag on the roof, ‘a symbol of all-inclusive peace’. Welsh daffodils emblazoned across the Yaris’s hench rear arches. And an NHS-grade facemask over its aggressive snout. It’s 2020 in a small, pent-up, homologation-special package.

“I am over the moon to have won this competition, it was lovely to receive some positive news during such difficult times,” Alice said upon her design winning the competition.

“I wanted it to reflect all the hard work that our key workers have done during the pandemic and to show a token of appreciation for them. As a family we are keen supporters of Wales Rally GB and are so disappointed that it was unable to take place this year.”

But while Wales might not have had a rally this year, it could yet have a rally champion: going into the final round of WRC 2020 this weekend, Elfyn Evans (who’s scheduled to unveil the Alice-spec Yaris soon) leads the standings and could – this weekend – become Great Britain’s first world champion since Richard Burns lifted the trophy in 2001. Which would be a welcome addition to our list…

STORY Stephen Dobie