[VIDEO] Jim Mero Talks Potential Nürburgring Times for the Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X

Jun 20, 2025

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[VIDEO] Jim Mero Talks Potential Nürburgring Times for the Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X

Photo Credit: Stefan Baldauf / SB-Medien

Former Corvette Ride and Handling Engineer Jim Mero retired from General Motors back in 2018 after a stellar 34 years working for Chevrolet, with many of them spent behind the wheel of America’s Favorite Sports Car as the Corvette’s test driver at the Nürburgring.

While we never got any official Nürburgring times during the C7 generation, one of the gifts of Jim’s retirement that was shared online was a photo collage featuring his greatest runs at the Green Hell, and from that we do have some “unofficial” times with various cars. His last runs came in the 2019 Corvette ZR1 with a best time of 7:04 which was reportedly done with cold tires, and the official segment time (running different parts of the track and then adding them up) came in a 6:57. So we know that the Corvettes can break the seven minute barrier, we’ve just been waiting for someone to do it.

Today we got word that Mero was on with Justin from HorsePower Obsessed to talk about the C8 Corvette’s attempt at setting a lap record at the Nürburgring. Using the performance metrics from his C7 days, he believes the C8 Z06 is capable of 6:58 and the C8 Corvette ZR1 could achieve a lap time of under 6:30 and eventually projected a lap time of approximately 6:23! That is even more generous than the 6:35 guessed by Alex on his Guess the Nürburgring Times article.

When the talk turned to the ZR1X, Mero speculates that the additional weight from the hybrid system could be a drag on performance compared to the standard ZR1, and wonders if the car would be able to utilize its hybrid power fully on the 12.9 mile track.

And then there is the human element where anything can happen during this limited window of opportunity. Mero described the pressure of setting lap times for Corvette as both exhilarating and daunting, with preparation and the need for optimal conditions for the best possible times.

As Doug Fehan would probably add, don’t forget Lady Luck!

From HorsePower Obsessed via YouTube:

Is the Nürburgring time for the C8 Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X 6:23?! Jim Mero says LIKELY!