The Corvette ZR1 was always going to be an exceptionally fast car around a circuit. Pretty much anything with more than 1,000hp would be, but combine that with loadsa downforce, super sticky Michelin tyres and not all that much weight, and phenomenal lap times were pretty much guaranteed. So now Chevrolet has gone out and emphatically proved it to everyone.
At four circuits across the USA, it has claimed five production car records for the ZR1. Some of the really iconic circuits, too: Road America, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, plus Virginia International Raceway (the Full Course and Grand Course). For every lap, there was a member of the development team at the wheel, which is pretty cool - certainly more interesting than a hotshoe racing driver. They’re all Nurburgring Industry Pool certified, so not the average employee off the shop floor, but it shows what can be achieved by a range of drivers. So Bill Wise, Lead Performance Engineer of Chassis Controls, was driving at Watkins Glen, Brian Wallace (Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer) at Road America, Lead Development Engineer Chris Barber at Atlanta and Aaron Link - Global Vehicle Performance Manager - at VIR. The pre-prod ZR1 used was equipped with ZTK Performance Pack, with the big rear wing, front dive planes and Cup 2Rs.
The lap times are rapid alright. The 1:52.7 at Watkins Glen puts the Corvette comfortably ahead of GT4 and TCR racing cars there (both in the 1:54s); at Road America (2:08.6) it’s as fast as a Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and half a second ahead of a new 911 Cup car. They have a lot less power, sure, but those times will be on slick tyres, with actual racing drivers at the wheel, and even more downforce. The 1:22.8 at Road Atlanta is again a match for the Ferrari, and quicker than the iconic M3 GTR racer of the early 2000s. Finally at Virginia International Raceway, where some big straights can really make the most of the power, a 1:47.7 makes the Corvette nearly two seconds a lap ahead of the Ferrari race car. The GT3 lap record on the VIR Road Course is barely three seconds quicker than the Corvette.
“Corvette ZR1 continues to showcase how this nameplate elevates at every corner,” said Tony Roma, Corvette executive chief engineer. “From design, engineering, development, validation, to driving and setting incredible lap records like these – we do it all in house.” And it’s all going to be available for $175k to domestic customers. So while the ZR1 is offering the very best in contemporary high performance, it hasn’t forgotten the old Corvette appeal of maximum bang for buck. Let’s hope and pray it makes it to the UK at some point - there are surely some lap records it could break here as well…
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