After setting a lap record at the Magny-Cours GP circuit just last month, the high-performance hatchback has set a newlap record front-wheel drive production lap record of two minutes 53.72 secondsat Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. The Type R was piloted by former FIA WEC LMP2 class World Champion, Bertrand Baguette, who is currently racing a Honda NSX-GT in the Super GT series with Nakajima Racing.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one of the longest tracks in the racing seasons of many categories at 7.004km, and features very fast straights and high-speed corners, along with more technical low-speed sections and significant elevation changes. The class-leading acceleration and outright speed of the Civic Type R's 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine, enabled Baguette to exploit the long straights and accelerate quickly out of the sweeping corners.

Aerodynamic performance was also critical to the lap time, and the Civic Type R's finely-honed design, with a smooth underbody, front air curtain, slim rear wing and vortex generators contributed to superior levels of high-speed stability. In the car's +R mode, the Adaptive Damper System produces a firm and flat ride ideal for track driving, enabling more speed to be carried through Spa-Francorchamps' famous Eau Rouge and Kemmel Straight sections.