Honda · 2023–present · track setup

Civic Type R FL5

The FL5 keeps the FK8 recipe but fixes much of what hurt it on track: Honda opened the grille, fitted a bigger radiator and fan, added brake ducting and moved to wider 19-inch tires. It is calmer and more precise at the limit than its predecessor and happy to run full sessions on a stock cooling system, so most of the setup work is front camber, tires and brakes.
Engine
2.0 L turbocharged inline-four (K20C1), 6-speed manual with rev-match, helical limited-slip differential
Power
315 hp (US, SAE net) and 310 lb-ft
Weight
≈3,188 lb (US curb weight, 62% front)
Layout
Front-engine
Drive
FWD
Performance planner ↓

These are starting points gathered from the sources listed at the bottom, not a guarantee. Cars, tires and parts vary: have a reputable alignment shop set your car, check factory specs for road use, and change one thing at a time.

01On track

Strengths
  • +Much better heat management than the FK8 for typical 10–20 minute sessions
  • +Wider 265-section factory tires and a long wheelbase make it stable at high speed
  • +Strong traction and braking stability, with ducted Brembo front brakes
  • +Rev-matching with selectable profiles makes downshifts consistent for newer drivers
Watch out for
  • −Still camber-limited at the front on stock hardware
  • −Oil temperature rises quickly even though coolant now copes
  • −Heavier than the FK8 and still nose-heavy, so it understeers if the rear is left stock
  • −The single rear adjuster on stock arms changes camber and toe together

02Alignment

Where to start the alignment.

Alignment · starting points
VIEWED FROM BEHIND · CAMBER EXAGGERATED ×3-2.5°FRONT L-2.5°FRONT R-1.8°REAR L-1.8°REAR R
FrontRear
Camber≈-2.5° (offset camber joints, middle setting)-1.5° to -2.0° (less than the front)
Toe00 to very slight toe-in

Owner-consensus numbers. Keep rear camber below front camber so the rear helps the car rotate. Camber joints are the same part as the FK8.

Sources [6,7,8]

Hot pressure target
34–36 psi hot as a first target on 200TW tires; owners report anywhere from the low 30s to about 38 front / 40 rear hot

Tire Rack found most 200TW and streetable track tires fastest at 34–36 psi hot; its older FWD/AWD competition chart starts at 40–45 front and 30–40 rear. FL5 owners disagree: some run about 38/40 hot on stock camber (and suggest more), others run the low-to-mid 30s hot. Higher pressure helps a camber-limited car stop the sidewall rolling; once camber is fixed, come down toward the tire maker's window. [14,15,7] Work out your cold pressure →

03Tires & brakes

Tires and brakes

  • 200TW endurance
    • Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ
    • Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS
    • Continental ExtremeContact Force
    • Falken Azenis RT660+
    • Yokohama Advan A052
    265/35R18 on 18 x 9.5 (dual-duty) is common; 18 x 10.5 for wider track tires

    The RE-71RZ is the 2026 successor to the RE-71RS; Tire Rack found it roughly equal overall, slightly calmer at the limit and a little quicker to hydroplane. The RE-71RS was the benchmark of the 2025 200TW testing, with the Falken and Yokohama close behind on lap time in third-party summaries of that data.

    Sources [17,16,20,21]
  • Max-performance summer
    • Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
    • Michelin Pilot Sport 4
    265/30ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S on the factory 19 x 9.5 wheel

    The FL5 comes on Pilot Sport 4S, and Honda offered a Pilot Sport Cup 2 through dealers. Expect the PS4S to overheat in long sessions on a hot day.

    Sources [2]
  • R-compound / slick
    • Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Cup 2 R
    • Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3R
    • Hoosier Track Attack Pro
    • Yokohama Advan A055
    • Hoosier A7
    275/35R18 on 18 x 10.5 for hardcore builds; Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 was a dealer option in the factory size

    Streetable track tires and R-compounds: DOT-legal but not for standing water. Tire Rack found R-compounds and Hoosiers happiest around 30–32 psi hot rather than the 34–36 psi most 200TW tires wanted.

    Sources [16,18,19,14,21]
Brake pads

Hawk DTC-30 (entry track pad, 100–1200°C) or DTC-60 (race pad, 400–1600°C, not for street) are listed for the FL5 front; owners also run Ferodo DS2500, Raybestos ST47, PFC 08 and Carbotech XP10/XP8. Change front and rear together to keep the balance.

Brake fluid

Motul RBF 600 (312°C dry) or RBF 660 (325–328°C dry depending on the listing), or equivalent high-boiling DOT 4.

Honda added front ducts and wheel spokes shaped to feed air to the 13.8-inch Brembo front rotors. [2,9,10,11,12]

04Known issues on track

Fix these before they find you.

  • Cooling: much improved, still watch it

    Honda enlarged the grille opening by 48 percent and fitted a larger radiator and a larger-diameter fan specifically for sustained hard driving. An independent engineering test found the car stayed cool enough for 10–20 minute sessions and that the hood vent and extra airflow mattered more than the radiator alone. Keep the grille and radiator clear of debris and keep monitoring coolant temperature. [2,3]

  • Oil temperature still climbs

    The FL5 keeps a water-cooled oil cooler, and testers saw oil temps rise quickly even when coolant was fine. Aftermarket air-to-oil kits exist, but the vendor reports only about 5°F lower oil temperatures, so log your own data before spending big. Good oil, a temperature readout and a cool-down lap remain the first line of defence. [1,3,4]

  • Bigger intercooler raises coolant temps

    A radiator maker reports that a larger front-mount intercooler raised engine coolant temperatures by roughly 7 percent and claims its 2-row radiator lowers them 6–8 percent. If you upgrade the intercooler or add power, upgrade the radiator in the same step. (Vendor figures.) [5]

  • Stock pads are a street compound

    Owners report the factory pads are fine for a first day but recommend a dedicated track compound once pace builds. The FL5 front Brembos accept a wide range of race pads; bleed with high-boiling fluid before every event. [9,10,11,12]

  • Front camber limits

    Like the FK8, the FL5 has roughly -1.3° to -1.5° of front camber from the factory. Owners report about -1.8° by pulling the strut guide pin and pushing the top mount in; offset camber joints are the next step. [6,7]

05Modification roadmap

In the order that pays off.

  1. 0
    Safety & reliability first

    Safety and reliability first

    • Track pads and racing brake fluidThe first thing a fast FL5 overwhelms.
    • Oil temperature readoutCoolant is mostly solved; oil is the number to watch.
    • Keep the grille, radiator and hood vent clearHonda's cooling gains depend on airflow.
  2. 1
    Tires & alignment

    Tires and alignment

    • 18-inch wheels and a 200TW tireCheaper, more choice and more sidewall than the factory 19s.
    • Strut guide pins, then camber jointsFront camber is the main limit on tire life and mid-corner grip.
  3. 2
    Suspension & brakes

    Suspension and balance

    • Adjustable rear sway barThe main FWD rotation tool; lets you trim understeer without wrecking traction.
    • Adjustable rear camber and toe armsSeparates rear camber from toe so each can be set properly.
  4. 3
    Power & aero

    Power last

    • Intercooler plus radiatorA bigger intercooler alone raises coolant temperatures; do both together.
    • TuneOnly after the car holds temperatures through a full session.

06Performance planner

What each upgrade is worth on this car.

Pick upgrades and see the estimated lap-time change on a reference circuit, how much margin your brakes and engine have late in a session, and which changes buy durability rather than speed.

Performance planner · Civic Type R FL5Model estimate
Tires
Brake pads
Brake fluid
Brake cooling
Brakes
Alignment
Suspension
Differential
Weight
Power
Cooling
Oil system
Aero
1:49.98stock 1:49.98−0.0%

Reference circuit (fictional, 3.5 km). Late lap includes brake fade and heat derating once the system runs out of margin.

T1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8SPEED · your plan vs stock · top 125 mph
Brake fade marginFades
Engine heat marginDerates
Oil starvation riskLow
Tire life (relative)100%
Sensitivity · each upgrade alone vs stock (late lap)
  • R-compound tires−5.41%load ↑
  • 200TW endurance tires−2.71%load ↑
  • Track alignment−0.87%
  • Street/track pads−0.84%durability ↑
  • Race pads−0.84%durability ↑
  • High-temp fluid−0.84%durability ↑
  • Brake cooling ducts−0.84%durability ↑
  • Big brake kit−0.82%durability ↑
  • Coilovers + sway bars−0.73%
  • Splitter + wing−0.67%
  • Oil cooler + radiator−0.26%durability ↑
  • Lighter wheels + seat−0.22%
  • Limited-slip differential−0.15%load ↑
  • Oil system (baffles / accumulator)±0
  • Intake, exhaust, tune±0load ↑
This car’s roadmap below starts with: Track pads and racing brake fluid · Oil temperature readout · Keep the grille, radiator and hood vent clear · 18-inch wheels and a 200TW tire

Estimates from a simplified point-mass lap simulation of Civic Type R FL5 (3,189 lb, 315 hp) on a fictional circuit, with generic effects for each upgrade category. Good for comparing options on the same car, not for predicting your lap time. Real results depend on the driver, the exact parts, the track and the conditions. Durability starts lower on this car because of its known issues: heat.

Free printable setup sheet →

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-18. Summaries are TRACK’s own wording; follow the links for the original detail. Product and brand names belong to their owners.

  1. [1]2024 Honda Civic Type R Specifications & FeaturesHonda (hondanews.com) · accessed 2026-10
  2. [2]2023 Honda Civic Type R Press KitHonda (hondanews.com) · accessed 2026-10
  3. [3]The Engineering Secrets Of The 2024 Honda Civic Type RMotor1 · accessed 2026-10
  4. [4]Cooler by Design – Oil Cooler Kit for the 2023+ Honda Civic Type RMishimoto (vendor) · accessed 2026-10
  5. [5]New CSF FL5 Civic Type R High-Performance Radiator (#7221)CSF Radiators (vendor) · accessed 2026-10
  6. [6]EVS Tuning Front Offset Camber Joints – FK8 / FL5 Civic Type RHybrid Racing · accessed 2026-10
  7. [7]Track Alignment Settings? (FL5) – owner threadCivicXI forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  8. [8]FL5 rear camber and toe for track – owner threadCivicXI forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  9. [9]Hawk DTC-30 Brake Pads (11th Gen Civic)ProCivic · accessed 2026-10
  10. [10]Hawk DTC-60 Brake Pads (11th Gen Civic)ProCivic · accessed 2026-10
  11. [11]Track pads for the FL5 CTR (stock Brembo calipers) – owner threadCivicXI forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  12. [12]Motul RBF 600 / 660 Racing DOT 4 Brake FluidHybrid Racing · accessed 2026-10
  13. [13]Track Alignment Specs for FL5 Civic Type R (Full RV6 Suspension) – owner threadCivicXI forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  14. [14]Confirming optimal track tire pressures: 14 Extreme Performance & Competition tires tested on a BMW M2Tire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  15. [15]What Tire Air Pressure Do I Use For Track And Autocross?Tire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  16. [16]Extreme Performance Summer & Track Tire Test – 2025 Test 4F (200TW and sub-200TW tires)Tire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  17. [17]Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ compared to Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS on two sports carsTire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  18. [18]Hoosier Track Attack Pro vs Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3R vs Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ: 2026 streetable track tire testTire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  19. [19]Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 RTire Rack · accessed 2026-10
  20. [20]2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre TestTyre Reviews · accessed 2026-10
  21. [21]Honda FL5 Civic Type R Wheel & Tire Fitment GuideApex Wheels · accessed 2026-10
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