Campaign includes new benchmarks on Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, and Monza

The new Honda Civic Type R has set lap records for no fewer than five race tracks across Europe. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the Civic Type R is now the fastest front-wheel drive production car on the Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, Monza, Estoril, and Hungaroring.

The new benchmarks were set in just two months. The campaign started in April at Silverstone, wheree three-time British Touring Car Championsip winner Matt Neal set a lap time of 2:31.85. In May, Honda moved to Belgium’s iconic Spa-Francorchamps, where Honda Racing driver Rob Huff drove the high-performance hatchback to an amazing 2:56.91-minute lap.

The third record was achieved later the same month, when Norbert Michelisz, another member of Honda’s World Touring Car Championship squad, piloted the car around Italy’s famous Monza track in 2:15.16. Also in May, Honda established its fourth record on Portugal’s Estoril circuit. With Tiago Monteiro, the driver who was supposed to drive the Civic Type R on home turf, injured during the WTCC Race of Germany, Honda turned to Bruno Correia for the official lap. The Portuguese needed only 2:04.08 to lap Estoril.

Finally, Honda arrived at the Hungaroring track in Hungary on June 6, where local favorite Norbert Michelisz pushed the Japanese hatchback to a 2:10.85 lap and the car’s fifth record.

"This challenge secures Civic Type R’s position as the benchmark in the front wheel drive performance segment. With the support of our touring car stars, it is a fitting testament to the team who engineered and designed it as the ultimate race car for the road," said Philip Ross, senior vice president of Honda Motor Europe.

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