It’s one thing to read the spec sheet on the 2025 Corvette ZR1. The numbers are jaw-dropping: 1,064 horsepower, 828 lb-ft of torque, a GM-estimated 0-60 time of just 2.3 seconds1, top speed of 233 mph on the track. But to truly understand how fast, powerful, and poised the ZR1 is, you have to experience it on a race track.
In Austin, Texas, I got that opportunity. And I’m forever changed.
This article was originally published on GM News on July 9, 2025. To celebrate the end of another great year, we’re looking back at some of our favorite GM News articles from throughout 2025. Happy holidays, and see you in 2026!
On a blistering hundred-degree day, I strapped on a helmet, hopped in the passenger seat of a brand-new 2025 Corvette ZR1, and rode around Circuit of the Americas for a jaw-dropping thrill ride. At the wheel was Chris Barber – lead development engineer on the Corvette ZR1. Chris also happens to be the driver who set a new production-car lap record at Road Atlanta in a ZR1, beating the previous record by more than 2 seconds. That wasn’t a fluke – Chris is one of four General Motors engineers who earned ZR1 lap records at five race tracks across America. These engineers don’t just know how to create a world-beating vehicle, they can drive it to the limit.
Needless to say, Chris knows what he’s doing on a race track. All I had to do was sit in the passenger seat and grin.
Now, you can come along for the ride. We’re relaunching the General Motors YouTube channel, bringing you in-depth info and first-person perspective on our latest vehicles, technologies, and innovations. For our first installment, we had to showcase the Corvette ZR1 at Circuit of the Americas. Check out the full video below, and subscribe to the GM YouTube channel for everything we’ve got coming next.
