mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

What Will The 2025 Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring Lap Time Be?

The 2025 Corvette ZR1 has taken the performance world by storm, boasting a jaw-dropping spec sheet highlighted by four-figure engine output and a top speed in excess of 230 mph. Naturally, numbers like that are impressive, with the C8 Corvette ZR1 framed as the fastest, most powerful production Corvette ever made. However, the real question is this – how will the new C8 ZR1 fare on the infamous Nürburgring race track in Germany?

Right from the jump, there are a few assumptions to be made here. After all, GM spent plenty of time developing the C8 platform at the Nürburgring, so it should be quick, no? Nevertheless, according to testing by sport auto magazine, the new C8 Z06 managed a lap time of 7:10.51, which, while respectable, falls short of expectations. Then we have the C7 ZR1, which achieved an unofficial lap time of 7:04.00, per Fastestlaps, while the C6 ZR1 clocked in at 7:19.63.

The 2025 Corvette ZR1 on the racetrack.

Indeed, the new ZR1 should definitely beat the C8 Z06, as well as its predecessors. But what about the competition? On that front, the Ford Mustang GTD seems like the most obvious target, boasting more than 800 horsepower and a blistering lap time of 6:57.685. That gives the 2025 Corvette ZR1 an obvious benchmark, and, given its staggering specs, the ZR1 should have a legitimate shot at outpacing its Blue Oval rival.

Speaking of specs, the C8 ZR1 is powered by the twin-turbocharged 5.5L V8 LT7 gasoline engine, which features a flat-plane crank and dual overhead cams, all while delivering an estimated 1,064 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 828 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. The new ZR1 also incorporates massive aero enhancements, in particular with the optional ZTK package on board, which includes high-downforce elements like a massive rear wing, front dive planes, and advanced underbody strakes.

Under the body you’ll find Magnetic Ride dampers, with stiffer springs and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires included as part of the ZTK package. Stopping power is equally impressive courtesy of carbon ceramic brakes with rotors measuring in at 15.7 inches up front and 15.4 inches in the rear.

So far, GM has remained tight-lipped about Nürburgring testing. We reached out for comment, with a spokesperson replying, “Stay tuned, we have nothing to add right now.”

Regardless, the 2025 Corvette ZR1 will definitely need to break into sub-seven-minute territory to be considered a success at the ‘Ring, hopefully surpassing the Mustang GTD’s 6:57.685. But we still want to know – what do you think the 2025 Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring lap time will be? Post your thoughts in the comments!

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. Honestly who cares. The Mustang is more of race car the ZR1 can be driven daily. If doesn’t beat it or Zora will probably crush everything.

    Reply
    1. TBH, I feel the same way about the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Normal enthusiasts are not driving it every day.

      Reply
      1. First off, the ‘Ring time provides an idea of the car’s capabilities way beyond a spec sheet.

        Also, there are the “normal enthusiasts” and then there is the group I’ve come to know as the “flex boys.” They buy cars based on how much the spec sheet and/or price tag allows them to “flex.” Un/fortunately, a lot of these kinds of cars are purchased by the second group these days.

        Reply
    2. And yet it is the street version of the GT3 race car and can be driven daily if you chose to …

      Reply
  2. The best bang for the buck if one wants to talk about track and street focused all in one package is the Grand Sport for the Corvette. Nicely priced, great power, and tons of opportunities to mod it for yourself. Especially the C6, C7 models

    The ZR1 is an absolute beast, but the price of this new one and the 2019 model have gotten out of many people’s price range.

    Reply
    1. Grand Sport would be the minimum for me personally. I do prefer my C7 Z06/Z07 though. C8 Z06 is amazing but I dont like the style. The C8 ZR1 though looks a lot better but still not as good as a C7 ZR1, All personal preference though. C7 Z06 isnt too crazy in price depending on the year but the performance is very good.

      Reply
  3. And we should care about this because soooo many of us C8 drivers will actually do this, right? LOLOLOLO!

    Reply
    1. Because it gives insight to the handling and power application, in a vehicle specifically designed for those parameters. It takes all the great tracks into one. Long big power straights, tight technical sections, elevation variances, increasing and decreasing corners, etc. It is the best gauge for a track vehicle, Period. If you are wanting a track vehicle, it will give a benchmark to others you are shopping. Plus, the commentary after really helps paint a picture on how it worked. Was it struggling to put the power down? Was it floaty at high speeds? Was the braking stable? Did it handle heavy front or back or was it balanced? These all help when shopping for a vehicle you track and take out for spirited drives. You may not care for the track specifically, but it brings them all in to one place…

      Reply
  4. 6:50 flat

    Reply
  5. The Mustang GTD barely even qualifies as being a production car. Heck, it’s barely a Ford being designed and built by an outside source. Unlike the GTD, I’d be able to use a ZR1 as a regular driver not unlike my former C8 Z51 or the C8 Z06 that I recently lost in a fire. That is, if I choose to.

    Of course, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’m not going to go to Germany to test it out nor compete in any type of competition. But that’s just me. Others may race their cars, but for me this is just bench racing.

    Reply
    1. There is the Shelby GT350 which has 830 HP+ in its max application, but doesIT EVEN COUNT as a Corvette competitor?

      Reply
    2. Designed by Ford with help from Multimatic. Sorry that you don’t understand relationships in the auto industry….

      Reply
  6. Tiene lo suficiente para destronar no solo al GTD , también al gt3rs. Pero si de verdad quieren hacer historia en Nürburgring tomen al stingray y al z06 y pongan alas del tamaño del que tiene el gt3 y aumentar la carga aerodinámica de carreras, también añadan más fibra de carbono para bajar peso y veremos qué pasa. Creo que a GM no le interesa tanto batir esos récord. Le importa más demostrar lo que son capaces de hacer con esos precios. nadie compite ahí

    Reply
  7. 6:53:2

    Reply
  8. I think it has a real chance of a 6:45 time, maybe less.

    Reply
  9. Sport Auto times are always a quite a bit more than actual OEM times. The C7 ZR1 set segment times of 6:53 and Jim Mero usually beats those segment times on his best runs. The C8 ZR1 should definitely be closer to 6:50.

    Reply
  10. I would agree. I hope the ZR1 goes 6:50. If it does not, I am sure no one will walk to my ZR1 (when I get it) and say how disappointed they are.

    Reply
  11. GM Has never been able to compete with Fords in the same race categories. Other race vehicles has crossed the rarefied 1000 H.P. air but only the most skilled drivers can flog the max out of them. Mark Donahue, god bless his soul, is no longer with us.

    Reply
  12. 6:47

    Reply
  13. My personal feelings (as a retired GM employee and a devout Corvette owner for over 60 years) knowing GM as I do, if the C8 ZR1 was fully capable of putting the “Hot Rod Mustang” (which by the way sells for a staggering $350,000 plus any added dealer markups!) on the trailer (ahem) GM would be pounding it’s chest as you read this, but when things are not quite where GM wants things to be, they’re “Ghostly Quiet” until they can succeed at whatever it is that they’re attempting to excel at. When and if the C8 ZR1 is ready and capable of beating the “Stang’s” amazing lap time (and by a decent margin too, not in just thousands of a second!) then you’ll see the “ticker tape parade” made public for all to see and cheer about.
    In my humble opinion, sly as a fox GM/Chevrolet engineers are wringing their collective hands at this time as they know there is a lot of pressure being sent their way to give the awaiting world order of The Ring lap times a fantasic number to gloat over, but if it ain’t here yet it’s because for some unknown reason (to all of us) the Mighty ZR1 is not yet capable of being sent out to “Slay the Mustang Dragon” and it’s my contention that until that happens, things are going to remain peacefully quite around The Ring for those GM/Chevy/Corvette engineers who’d give a years retirement pay for a really great lap time exceeding the “Stang” by a decent margin and put that smirk and smile back on their collective faces. We’ll see.

    Reply
  14. Change the top gear in the ZO6 and have another run. Should be closer low low 7’s. ZR1 will be amazing. Really tough to put together even a single good run with changing weather conditions. GTD should run quicker with completely dry conditions

    Reply
  15. Well, I mean I predicted 658 for the Mustangs your burger time and I was right they got dipped under 658 and for the Chevy like another person was saying but I thought about it before I would say it’s between 650 and 655 but who knows maybe they’ll do 645 but I highly doubt it will be a GT 2RS or a name GGT black series or an event or SVJ I think it’s a little bit closer to a Huracan performante or Even a viper ACR and it’s best driving skill

    Reply
    1. I wouldn’t get too excited. Maybe 6:51-6:52. A Lamborghini Revuelto can’t even do better than a 7:13.

      Reply
      1. For reference this is a thinking man’s Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. That car should lap around the same as a Rimac Nevera, which is 7:01 around the 20.6km mark and 7:05 around the 20.8km mark.

        Reply
    2. GTD is going to run faster and catch videos where they’re interviewing Larry Holt (Multimatic). Early on he said the GTD would run faster and now Holt says they have the data with the GTD running faster than the 992.1 911 GT3 RS.

      Reply
  16. Lap times don’t sell hi performance cars,build a c8 Vette with all the crap removed,computers good place to start to make the thing affordable and service at home how many dealers do you trust, again make the car affordable to service

    Reply
  17. Shows how capable a 60k ZL1 1LE is and the value for the money at 7:16 official and as low as 7:13 unofficial with a 6spd. I will never understand why production was stopped or improvements weren’t made such as live aero to the ZL1

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel