Corvette conquers the Nürburgring

August 01, 2025Newsletter Archives

Germany’s Nürburgring is widely considered the most challenging racetrack in the world. It’s enormous – the entire village of Nürburg, including its medieval castle, sits inside the perimeter of the 12.9-mile circuit. A single lap includes 73 corners and 1,000 feet of elevation change. Setting a fast time at this legendary track is a monumental achievement.

As of this week, two Corvettes are among the top 10 fastest production cars ever to lap this landmark race track. 

The all-wheel-drive Corvette ZR1X earned a 6:49.275 lap time with Drew Cattell at the wheel, becoming the fastest American production car to record a lap time at the ‘Ring. The rear-drive Corvette ZR1 wasn’t far behind, clocking 6:50.763 at the hands of Brian Wallace. The naturally aspirated Corvette Z06 notched a 7:11.826 lap time piloted by Aaron Link. All three drivers are proud GM employees, members of the engineering team that gave the eighth-generation Corvette its world-beating capabilities. 

“The statement we're trying to make with Corvette is, this is world-class performance,” said Ken Morris, senior VP of product programs, product safety, integration and motorsports at General Motors. “The Nürburgring is one of the most difficult tracks you can possibly attempt this type of thing on. This is not only a statement for Chevrolet, it’s a statement for the engineers and their commitment to excellence and making these cars as good as they can possibly be.” 

For an inside look at the monumental effort that went into achieving three Nürburgring lap times in three Corvette models, check out Chevrolet’s behind-the-scenes documentary filmed on-site in Germany.

-- Bob Sorokanich, senior editor, GM News