The 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 can clip the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife in a scant 6:55. And considering all of the benchmark testing GM did against Porsche during the development of the 2023 Corvette Z06, we like to believe that lap time is on Tadge’s bathroom mirror when he wakes up in the morning. The Corvette team is currently in Germany with other automakers for two weeks of industry pool testing, but the clock is ticking on getting the C8 Z06 to get a clean lap around The Green Hell. We reported yesterday that the new Z06 breaking into the six-minute range would be a “significant achievement,” but everything has to go right. Including a clear track. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen earlier this week.
Tesla, BMW Crashes Call Off 2023 Corvette Z06 Hot Lap
According to Road & Track, a BMW M8 prototype decided to marry itself with a barrier on the Kesselchen sector, rolling at least once and leveling a large section of the armco. On the same lap, just up ahead, a Tesla Model S Plaid also found itself into the wall at the Klostertal sector. Both drivers lived and are expected to be relatively uninjured. Needless to say, the session was red-flagged.
The Nürburgring crashes from both the BMW M8 and the Tesla Model S Plaid required extensive and immediate repairs to the barriers, and vacuumed up the two-hour window that the 2023 Corvette Z06 had to lap the track.
Likely The Only Shot All Year For The Corvette Team
Industry pool testing takes place only 18 weeks over the course of a year at the Nurburgring, giving automakers exclusive access to the Nordschleife. And 30 OEMs currently participate in pool testing, GM being one of them. However, The General normally shows up just two of those 18 weeks. And if the team can’t get a clean lap, that’s it.
Considering that the 2023 Corvette Z06 has been spotted testing there since early last week, it’s a safe assumption that Tadge Jeuchter and his crew of engineers will be boarding a flight back to Detroit by the weekend. To make things even more frustrating, the weather at the ‘Ring calls for rain on Friday.
Over the years, luck hasn’t exactly been on the Corvette’s side. The C7 generation was never able to have that ever-so-perfect day where the weather was dry, the track was clear, and nobody crashed. Even the 755 hp C7 Corvette ZR1, which landed a respectable 7:04, is said to have a theoretical (segmented) lap time around 10 seconds faster.
The Corvette Curse may not be lifted just yet.
2023 Corvette Z06 Logo. Image via Chevrolet.
