Chevrolet has tested Corvettes around the Nürburgring for decades, but it’s been over 10 years since the company released a Nordschleife lap time for America’s sports car. That changes Thursday. Chevy brought three C8 Corvettes to the ‘Ring—the Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X—and now claims the title of fastest American car around the German circuit.
Both the ZR1 and ZR1X beat the Ford Mustang GTD’s 6:52.072. The ZR1 managed a 6:50.763 while the hybrid ZR1X shaved that time down to 6:49.275, even beating out the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Meanwhile, the Z06 set a very respectable 7:11.826.
- Corvette ZR1X — 6:49.275
- Corvette ZR1 — 6:50.763
- Corvette Z06 — 7:11.826
All three Corvettes were stock production cars except for some safety modifications—a roll hoop, a bucket seat, a six-point harness, and a fire-suppression system. Each featured its respective optional performance package and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. The Nürburgring officially considers these prototype cars, however, as the Z06 was a US-spec model, and the ZR1 and ZR1X aren’t sold in Europe.
The lap times were set by Corvette engineers, not professional race-car drivers, a fact that Chevy is proud of. Vehicle performance manager Aaron Link set the time in the Z06, vehicle dynamics engineer Brian Wallace set the time in the ZR1, and fellow vehicle dynamics engineer Drew Cattell set the time in the ZR1X.
GM Motorsport boss Ken Morris noted in a statement:
‘We’ve created a different kind of relationship between our cars, iconic tracks, and our engineers, it is how we develop our vehicles. These Corvettes weren’t piloted by pro race-car drivers. They were driven by the same engineers who designed, engineered, and tuned them.
Brian, Aaron and Drew have grown into world-class drivers and even better engineers. Their lap times now rank among the fastest ever recorded by non-professionals at the Ring, which is so cool.’
By contrast, sports-car ace Dirk Müller set the Mustang GTD’s Nurburgring time, while longtime Porsche factory driver Jörg Bergmeister did the job for the 911 GT3 RS. Mercedes-AMG factory driver Maro Engel is the only one to have pedaled stock production cars around the Nürburging quicker than the Cattell in the ZR1X, with his laps in the AMG GT Black Series and One hypercar.
Chevy put out a documentary on the Nürburgring project, and it features a lot of good insight into the process. Setting a fast lap at the ‘Ring required a lot of simulation and development work back in Michigan, a fair share of logistical challenges, and fate, in the form of dry conditions. Plus lots and lots of Michelins.
The Corvette ZR1 already has production-car lap records around Road America, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, and both full and grand course configurations of Virginia International Raceway. One imagines Corvette engineers wanting to go better with the 1,250-horsepower ZR1X, and rivals wanting to take the Vette down.
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