Civic Type R Challenge ends with fifi ve records

HONDA has just completed the final part of its Civic Type R Challenge, which succeeded in setting new lap records at five different tracks around Europe this year.

On the final leg, a Civic Type R driven by former Formula 1 World Champion and current NSX Super GT driver Jenson Button set a new record of two minutes 10.19 seconds for a front-wheel drive production car at Hungary’s Hungaroring GP circuit.

The Hungaroring is a narrow, winding 4.38km circuit with 180-degree corners and a complex chicane, making it one of the more technical tracks in Europe. It also holds particularly fond memories for Button, as it’s the circuit where he won his first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2006 before going on to become World Champion in 2009.

Button was very delighted after setting the new lap record at the Hungaroring. Speaking of the car itself, he commented: “The first thing I noticed when I left the pit lane was how neutral the car was. I come from a background that is not frontwheel drive-focused, so it was very different for me but because the Type R is so well-balanced it was instantly really enjoyable and more natural.

“The thing that surprised me most is how late you can brake with this car. The manual gearbox works really well, too. Most cars these days don’t come with manual ‘boxes, so it’s nice to have that manual feel. You always feel a lot more connected to the car.”

For the five front-wheel drive production car lap records, Honda asked five different Honda racing champions (including Button) to drive the Civic Type R.

At the Estoril circuit in Portugal, FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCR) driver Tiago Monteiro set a lap record of two minutes 1.84 seconds, while at Silverstone in the UK, British Touring Car Championship legend Matt Neal set a new benchmark of two minutes 31.32 seconds.

Japanese Super GT star Bertrand Baguette piloted the Type R around Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in two minutes 53.72 seconds, and at Magny Cours in France, WTCR driver Esteban Guerrieri set a record of two minutes 1.51 seconds. – AFP Relaxnews