---
title: "The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Will Try For a Sub-7-Minute Nurburgring Lap Time"
description: "That would make it not only the fastest American car round the 'Ring, but one of the fastest ever, period."
date: "2017-11-16"
modified: "2017-11-17"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/16169/the-2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-will-try-for-a-sub-7-minute-nurburgring-lap-time"
categories:
  - "Chevrolet News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Chevrolet"
  - "Chevrolet Corvette ZR1"
  - "Corvette"
  - "Coupe"
  - "General Motors"
  - "hot lap"
  - "lap time"
  - "Nurburgring"
  - "sports car"
  - "Supercar"
---

# The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Will Try For a Sub-7-Minute Nurburgring Lap Time

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/11/2019-corvette-zr1-worldpremier-03.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

After teasing us all year, General Motors finally pulled the wraps off the upcoming [2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/16003/here-is-your-first-look-at-the-2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1>) earlier this week. Since its debut in 1970 on the C3, the ZR1 badge has always been affixed to the closest thing to a race-ready 'Vette that the automaker sells. And according to a new report, Chevrolet's got big plans for this latest incarnation—a supercar-slaying, sub-seven-minute time on the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

[Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter sat down with](<https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a13553580/corvette-zr1-nurburgring-lap-time-target/>)

 *Road & Track* after the ZR1's unveiling and let it be known that the company intends to make a run at the record books sometime in the spring, with the seven-minute barrier being the ultimate goal. Such a speedy flying lap would not only make the new Corvette ZR1 the fastest American car ever on the 'Ring, but also faster than the [Nissan GT-R Nismo](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/3707/2017-nissan-gt-r-nismo-revealed-packing-more-downforce-than-any-nissan-ever>), the [Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/12896/2018-mercedes-amg-gt-r-review-drivers-prepare-to-laugh-hysterically>), the [Porsche 911 GT3](<https://www.thedrive.com/porsche/9795/porsches-new-911-gt3-is-a-9000-rpm-lesson-in-ferocity>), and the [Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce.](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/7223/the-7-things-we-love-about-the-new-lamborghini-aventador-s>)

And that's all while costing far less, as [Juechter previously promised](<https://www.motortrend.com/news/2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-by-the-numbers/>) the 2019 ZR1 wouldn't double the $56,000 base price of a Corvette Stingray, according to *Motor Trend.* The car will be powered by a supercharged LT5 V8 engine putting out 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque, and surely helped along in its quest by the ridiculous 950 pounds of downforce generated by the redesigned front splitter and massive rear wing. Throw in an eight-speed automatic transmission (or throw it out and stick with the seven-speed manual), and the new Corvette ZR1 will be able to top 210 mph.

![message-editor%2F1510873717232-2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-002.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1510873717232-2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-002.jpg>)
*Sleep well, you've got a big day tomorrow...err, next year., *Chevrolet**

The car was developed in part on the Nurburgring, but as [Juechter told *Road & Track,*](<https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a13553580/corvette-zr1-nurburgring-lap-time-target/>) Chevrolet opted to use its one hot lap slot this year—notoriously tricky to procure, considering it involves closing off the road to everyone else—[on the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/11764/2018-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-1le-posts-blazing-716-04-nurburgring-lap-time>) which posted a 7:16.04 in June. Back in 2011, the last-gen C6 Corvette ZR1 laid down a 7:19.63 lap, and it looks like both those numbers will be swept away by the latest monster 'Vette.

But there's probably another number on the automaker's mind: 7:01.30, a lap time achieved by a privateer team [using a final-run Dodge Viper ACR](<https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a13553580/corvette-zr1-nurburgring-lap-time-target/>) in August and the current record for the fastest American car round the 'Ring. We'll see what happens when Chevy makes its run at greatness next spring.

https://youtube.com/embed/t4zSIVpVMaw

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)