Corvette ZR1X Destroys Mustang GTD at the Nürburgring

Chevrolet is rewriting the record books at the Nürburgring with a bold statement. After a long silence, the brand has returned to Germany’s most grueling racetrack with three fierce contenders—the Corvette Z06, the ZR1, and the hybrid-powered ZR1X. The results? Simply jaw-dropping. The ZR1X now holds the crown as the fastest American car to ever lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

The ZR1X clocked a time of 6:49.275, while the ZR1 was not far behind at 6:50.763. Both outpaced the Ford Mustang GTD’s 6:52.072, which was set by seasoned race-car driver Dirk Müller. Even more impressive is that these lap times were not achieved by professional racers, but by the very engineers who built and fine-tuned the vehicles. That is right—Brian Wallace took the wheel of the ZR1, Drew Cattell handled the ZR1X, and Aaron Link drove the Z06, which recorded a solid 7:11.826.

Each Corvette was a stock production car fitted with essential safety gear including a roll hoop, a racing bucket seat, a six-point harness, and a fire-suppression system. They also ran on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires and came with their available performance upgrade packages. While the Nürburgring considers them prototypes due to export limitations, these are cars you could eventually drive—just not in Europe for now.

General Motors’ Ken Morris emphasized that this approach reflects Chevrolet’s DNA—engineers not only designing performance but living it behind the wheel. Their lap times are now among the fastest ever recorded by non-professional drivers at the Green Hell.

It took months of simulations in Michigan, loads of logistics, the right weather, and yes, a whole lot of Michelins to pull this off. But what Chevrolet proved is that their cars can compete—and win—against the best from Ford, Porsche, and even Mercedes-AMG.

The ZR1 already holds records at Road America, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, and Virginia International Raceway. With the 1,250-horsepower ZR1X now in the mix, you can bet they are aiming even higher.