2026 Chevy Corvette ZR1X Slashes Nürburgring Lap Record in 6:49

General Motors has announced the confirmed Nürburgring circuit record for the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X.
The 1,064-hp The Corvette ZR1X completed a lap of the Nordschleife in 6 minutes and 49.275 seconds.
The ZR1X incorporates the turbocharged V8 engine found in the ZR1 and includes an electric motor mounted on the front axle.

The waiting has come to an end. Following a month of rumors After a month of conjecture Throughout a month of guessing Over the course of a month of uncertainty A month after the speculations began During a month filled with speculation For a month, people speculated As the month of guesswork continued With a month of ongoing theories Through the span of a month of discussion Regarding the eighth-generation Corvette's run around the Nordschleife, Chevrolet has at last shared the video. The 2026 Corvette ZR1X completed the Green Hell circuit in 6 minutes and 49.275 seconds.

The Fastest New American Around the Ring

For those keeping track, that's nearly three seconds faster around the legendary Nürburgring compared to the Ford Mustang GTD which circled the track a few months back.

It’s not surprising that the hybrid Corvette ZR1X surpassed the Mustang GTD, considering the all-wheel-drive Corvette has over 50% more power at maximum output.

It also takes less time around the 'Ring compared to the lap recorded by Porsche in 2022 using the 911 GT3 RS.

Nevertheless, the ZR1X was not the sole vehicle that General Motors sent to Germany. In fact, the company also completed laps with the 2026 Corvette ZR1 and the Z06.

Only the rear-wheel drive ZR1 completed the 12.94-mile track in 6 minutes and 50.763 seconds. The slowest time among the vehicles was recorded by the Z06, with a lap time of 7 minutes and 11.826 seconds around the circuit.

The Drivers

Interestingly, the people at Chevrolet chose not to employ professional race drivers and instead relied on their own internal development group. Driving the ZR1X during its lap was Drew Cattel, the project's vehicle dynamics engineer.

The ZR1 was timed during testing by its vehicle dynamics engineer, Brian Wallace. Aaron Link, who serves as a vehicle performance manager, handled the Z06's lap.

Certainly, a company can't go to the Nürburgring without having a full production team. The brief video featured in this article captures the Corvette team's trip to the track and the entire experience throughout these sessions.

Now that a new U.S. champion has emerged in the 'Ring, it will be intriguing to observe whether Ford or Stellantis will offer a faster vehicle around the Nürburgring.

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