Honda Is Hunting Track Records With A Time Attack Civic Type R

Honda is chasing a whole bundle of lap records across European race circuits in a special Time Attack Civic Type R.

The Japanese brand is aiming to set new best times for a front-wheel drive production car at famous old circuits like Silverstone, Spa and Estoril, with more venues to be confirmed further down the line when behind-the-scenes admin has been straightened out.

It won’t be any old drivers behind the wheel, either: it’s Honda’s racing stars, including NSX Super GT drivers Jenson Button and Bertrand Baguette. The Belgian has one of the best names in motorsport so he’s off to a great start.

WTCR racers Tiago Monteiro and Esteban Guerrieri are also on board for the 2018 repeat of an event that Honda first ran at European circuits in 2016, with the old Civic Type R. The firm is aiming to beat its old times handsomely, while setting new records at the tracks it didn’t visit last time.

The car will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show late next week, but it’s expected that it will need to be almost totally standard - unlike the angry new BTCC-spec version - to make the record attempts valid. A roll cage may feature, and we’ll also be checking what tyres it uses. We wouldn’t be surprised to see road-legal semi-slicks…