Posting a blistering time of 2 minutes 35.207 seconds in the Honda Civic Type R, Jenson Button has set a new (but unofficial) record lap time at Mount Panorama.
On a secret mission, the former Formula 1 champion flew to Australia to complete the road legal hot hatch record under the noses of enthusiasts and competitors alike.
Taken from one of 14 laps that Button completed over the course of the day, the driver had two sessions two attempt the record time.
While most cars that race at the track use semi-slicks, because the Honda was going for the road legal record, it was on standard road tyres.
When you compare this time to the best that was posted over the weekend by a front-wheel drive Hyundai i30N, Button's pace becomes apparent. The Hyundai managed a time of 2 minutes and 41.2 seconds on semi-slick racing tyres. An AWD Golf R on semi-slicks posted a time of 2 minutes and 36.9 seconds.
Though it was an incredibly quick time, Button wasn't able to beat his time that he set back in 2011 while driving a Formula 1 car as part of a promotion. The driver was right at home in the single seater, and managed an insane 1 minute 48 second time around the hill.
“Anything you drive around Mount Panorama is pretty amazing,” Button said, according to a Honda.
“Up across the top of the mountain, the Type R is so fast through there, so once I got into a rhythm and got used to the speed you can carry, it was really good fun.”
“I definitely put the car through its paces and it was a quick time, 2 minutes 35 seconds is a really good time in a front-wheel drive car and it was hot as well, so I think if it was cooler you could go a bit quicker, but I do feel like I got everything out of the car,” said Button.
“The Honda Civic Type R really is the perfect car for a... challenge like this. And it’s 100% a road legal car that’s straight off the production line, so to do a 2 minute 35 second lap is fantastic.”