Watch the Honda Civic Type R Set Yet Another Lap Record

Honda is out to prove just how quick its 305 hp front-wheel drive super hatch is, though, taking the Civic Type R on a tour of some of the world’s best race tracks and breaking records for front-wheel drive production vehicles. It already smashed the record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife and France’s Magny Cours, but now Honda’s taken yet another record – this time at the wildly fast Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.

In the hands of Honda Super GT driver Bertrand Baguette, the Type R lapped Spa in 2 minutes and 53.72sec.

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Spa isn’t your typical race circuit. The 4.3-mile track is long and fast and features a number of high-speed corners coupled with significant elevation change. The Type R’s 2.0-liter turbocharged engine had no trouble at all pulling it up the steep uphill Eau Rouge section and powering down the Kemmel Straight, and its smooth underbody and aero kit helped it stay planted through the series of fast, long corners in the track’s middle section.

“With a front-wheel drive usually you always expect understeer, but this car is so balanced,” Baguette said. “Straight away you get a lot of confidence as it gives you a lot of feedback through the steering wheel, especially in +R mode. The chassis is very rigid, the rear is very stable and front is biting really well to give you a lot of front grip. The aero package really helps the car feel planted at high speed, and it’s amazing the level of traction.”

Check out the onboard video from the lap embedded below. Honda will now take the Civic Type R to three more famous European race tracks, Silverstone, Estoril, and the Hungaroring, and attempt to claim the front-wheel drive lap record there as well. Something tells us it will be successful in that endeavor.