Corvette ZR1 Came Within Seconds of a $2 Million Czinger Record at COTA

ZR1 Misses the Record, Still Stuns

A stock 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has delivered a seriously impressive lap at the Circuit of the Americas, reminding everyone how deep Chevrolet’s performance bench now runs despite costing so much less than its peers. Driven by Hennessey President Alex Roys, the ZR1 Coupe equipped with the ZTK Performance Package recorded a 2:13.80 lap time. The run was completed in sub-par weather and less-than-ideal track conditions, with no vehicle modifications and no special allowances.

That time leaves the ZR1 about 2.3 seconds shy of the production car lap record set by the Czinger 21C at 2:10.70. That’s rare air, and the Corvette’s lap was independently timed, honestly driven, and achieved straight from the factory. It also comfortably surpassed the long-standing benchmark set by the McLaren P1, which previously lapped COTA in 2:17.51. That result alone puts the ZR1 in elite company.

Czinger’s Tear – and the ZR1’s Case

The Czinger 21C has been on a historic run, traveling more than 1,000 miles while setting multiple track records in a matter of days. As a limited-production hypercar, it was engineered with minimal compromise. Its 1,233-horsepower hybrid system, ultra-lightweight structure, and advanced manufacturing methods place it firmly at the cutting edge of modern performance.

That’s what makes the Corvette ZR1’s performance so compelling. With a starting price around $175,000, the ZR1 is a mass-produced supercar powered by a 1,064-horsepower twin-turbo V8. It relies on brute force, aerodynamics, and chassis balance rather than exotic construction. The fact that it runs within seconds of a $2 million hypercar and beats legends like the McLaren P1 by a wide margin shows just how far the Corvette has evolved.

Big Win Without the Crown

The ZR1 did not take the COTA production record, but this was far from a disappointment. It was a clean, transparent lap that highlighted real-world performance rather than perfect conditions. Few cars at any price can operate in this territory, and even fewer do so in factory form.

With attention already shifting toward the new ZR1X hybrid variant, Chevrolet’s pursuit of outright dominance is clearly not finished. For now, the standard ZR1 has made its point. It may not hold the record, but it has proven it belongs in the same conversation as the world’s fastest machines.