Honda Civic Type R sets Hungaroring lap record – video
Jenson Button pilots UK-built hot hatch to fifth and final record as part of Type R Challenge.
The Honda Civic Type R has set another lap record around a European race circuit, this time at the Hungaroring track in Hungary.
With former F1 driver (and current NSX Super GT driver) Jenson Button behind the wheel, the Type R set a new standard for front-wheel drive cars with a time of 2 minutes 10.19 seconds.
Button knows the Hungaroring track quite well, given it's the same circuit he at which won his first Grand Prix race with Honda in 2006.
The Hungaroring record marks the fifth and final planned record attempt for the Type R Challenge series, which has already seen the UK-built Japanese hot hatch set new benchmark times for front-wheel drive vehicles at Estoril, Silverstone, Spa and Magny-Cours.
"We came here to the Hungaroring, where I won my first F1 race in 2006 with Honda, to set a new front-wheel drive production lap record in the new Type R, and I’m very happy that we did it," said Button.
"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."
In addition to the five European track records made this year, the Civic Type R is also the fastest front-wheel drive production car around the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany – the Honda lapped the circuit in 7 minutes 43.8 seconds in April 2017.
Have a watch of the record attempt below
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