Honda demonstrates Civic Type R’s race pedigree in a celebration of two and four wheels

- Honda’s motorsport stars from two and four wheels give guests from Honda and Castrol a taste of performance in the new Civic Type R

- LCR Honda MotoGP rider Jack Miller graduates to four wheels with his first drive of a Castrol Honda Civic world touring car 

Honda’s worlds of two and four wheels came together today in Italy as the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Championship team joined LCR Honda MotoGP and a raft of new Civic Type R machines. 

Selected media and VIP guests from Honda and Castrol, partner of Honda in the Castrol Honda WTCC and LCR Honda MotoGP teams, joined the Japanese marque’s stars at the Circuito Tazio Nuvolari, Cervesina, Italy, for a day of thrills in the new Civic Type R. 

Castrol Honda WTCC drivers Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro joined BTCC stars Matt Neal, 2015 Champion Gordon Shedden and development driver Jack Clarke to put the Type R through its paces, giving driving instruction and tips as well as hot laps in the new machine. 

Not only that, but guests were also given hot laps in the Honda Civic world touring car; the genesis of the road-going Type R which was bred on track for the road. 

On two wheels, LCR Honda MotoGP graduate Jack Miller put on a show with his RC213V MotoGP machine, experienced the new Type R as both passenger and driver, and received a driving lesson from Tiago Monteiro as the Australian made his touring car debut, driving the Castrol Honda Civic WTCC for the very first time. 

A video edit from the Type R experience day will be available shortly. 

Gabriele Tarquini, Castrol Honda WTCC

“Days like today are a great experience. It’s totally different than our normal racing because you are a passenger with somebody who doesn't know the car, doesn’t know the track, so you must know immediately what is the reaction of the drivers. Somebody needs to be pushed, some need to be calmed a little bit because they are too aggressive, but it is a great experience. The Type R is fantastic; it’s great on the track, and everybody is surprised about the performance of it with handling and braking. The track and road are completely different because you can be fast but also safe on the track so it’s the best area to really push the Type R.” 

Tiago Monteiro, Castrol Honda WTCC

“Jack got the feeling for the Civic TCR car right away, even in the slippery conditions that were difficult even for experienced car drivers, and this was his first time. We had a nice few slides and he caught a few of them, but at one point it was a little bit too much! At one point I was sitting next to him thinking ‘wow that’s a good entry speed, is he going to make it?!’ Out of a lot of slides there were two or three spins including one very beautiful 360. All in all he understood the car very well; when the rear was sliding he know how to control it and I just hope he had fun! We had a lot of fun in the Type R too, and especially considering that it’s a road car on street tyres it’s very impressive.” 

Jack Miller, LCR Honda MotoGP

“It was an awesome day today, so thanks to the Castrol Honda guys! It was great to get out there and get a go in a race car. I’ve done all sorts of other sports but never really driven a race car or anything like that so it was really cool. You can definitely get a really good feel and I’m pleased that we could get a dry line and the slick tyres on. Tiago was really calm next to me, considering we had a few spins! If you put the TCR tyres on the Type R I think it’d be just as fast! It really is a lot of fun to drive and it feels really at home on the track.”