Following two successes in the Honda Civic Type R Challenge 2018 at the Magny-Cours and Spa-Francorchamps circuits, the high-performance hatchback has set a newtwo mins 31.32 seconds lap record for a front-wheel drive production car at the Silverstone circuit in the U.K., beating the benchmark set by the previous generation Civic Type R in a similar challenge in 2016.

The Type R was piloted by three-time British Touring Car Championship winner Matt Neal, who is currently campaigning a Honda Civic Type R in the 2018 BTCC with Halfords Yuasa Racing.

The Silverstone GP circuit is a thrilling 5.89km track featuring fast straights and high-speed corners, combined with more technical sections that demand pinpoint placement of the car. With tremendous outright pace from its optimised 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine, the Civic Type R provided blistering performance to enable Neal to make the most of the straights and accelerate quickly out of the sweeping corners.

Furthermore, the speed of the circuit means that aerodynamic characteristics are key and Civic Type R's best-in-class balance between lift and drag delivered a significant benefit. In the car's +R mode, the Adaptive Damper System produces a firm and flat ride, enabling more speed to be carried through Silverstone's flowing curves.