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Chevrolet executive chief engineer Tony Roma says the company is not planning a Nürburgring run simply to answer Ford’s latest Mustang GTD lap time. Roma said Chevrolet had already chosen Pikes Peak for its latest motorsports showcase and would return to the German circuit only if it had a worthwhile reason and story.
Chevrolet is not planning a tit-for-tat Nürburgring run to answer Ford’s latest Mustang GTD lap time, Corvette executive chief engineer Tony Roma said on The Drivecast. The decision leaves Ford holding the American-car lap-time advantage for now, while Roma said Chevrolet would return to the German circuit only when it has a project and story that make sense for the team.
Asked whether Chevrolet would go back to the Nürburgring to try to beat Ford, Roma said, “I’m not planning on running back and tit-for-tat ‘look at what we can do’ to answer what they did.” He acknowledged that the answer may disappoint fans who have asked about a rematch at public events, but said the team would choose its motorsports activities on its own terms.
Roma said Chevrolet had planned its Nürburgring visit before seeing Ford’s lap time. He described the effort as a chance to demonstrate both the Corvette’s performance and the work of the wider team, including its own development drivers, Michelin engineers and analysis staff. He said the Corvette’s lap was under seven minutes and called it an accomplishment the team was proud of.
Chevrolet chose a different focus for its latest major motorsports event: Pikes Peak. Roma said the company had already planned that effort by the time Ford returned to the Nürburgring. He framed the hill climb as an American motorsports event with a long history, including a connection to early Corvette development, rather than a direct response to Ford’s circuit record.
Ford Keeps the Lap-Time Advantage
The decision means there is no announced Corvette attempt to take back the Nürburgring position from Ford. For fans following the rivalry, it removes the prospect of an immediate, scheduled record-versus-record contest. It also shows that Chevrolet is treating lap records as one part of a broader motorsports program, not as a commitment to answer every move by a competitor.
Roma’s comments do not amount to a permanent refusal to return. He said Chevrolet would consider another outing if it had a worthwhile purpose. That leaves open the possibility of a future Corvette lap attempt, but offers no timing, vehicle, driver lineup or performance target. For now, Ford’s result stands without a publicly stated Chevrolet challenge.
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Why Chevrolet Chose Its Own Route
Chevrolet had not released a Nürburgring lap time in more than a decade before its recent Corvette effort, Roma said, although he noted that the company had continued using the circuit for vehicle development. He said the team planned its visit before it knew Ford’s intended lap time, describing Chevrolet’s approach as a homegrown project with its own development drivers rather than an effort built around a direct rivalry.
Roma praised Ford’s response as “kind of epic” from the perspective of a car fan, while also emphasizing that Chevrolet’s original goal was to show what its people and engineering operation could do. The comparison has become a public point of interest because both companies make high-performance American sports cars and have used major motorsports events to demonstrate their capabilities.
The two programs have not followed identical schedules or formats. Roma said Chevrolet’s next event was Pikes Peak, while Ford returned to the Nürburgring. His account explains why Chevrolet did not immediately make another attempt; it does not establish that the companies had agreed to a formal contest or that Chevrolet had a car prepared for a rematch.
““I’m not planning on running back and tit-for-tat ‘look at what we can do’ to answer what they did.””
— Tony Roma, Chevrolet Corvette and Performance Cars executive chief engineer, on The Drivecast
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No Date or Car for a Return
Chevrolet has not announced whether or when it might return to the Nürburgring, which Corvette it would run, or whether it would attempt a timed lap. Roma’s remarks describe the team’s current approach rather than ruling out a future event. The report also does not specify the exact lap times or the full record category and conditions for the Ford and Chevrolet runs, so this account does not provide a direct numerical comparison.
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Chevrolet Awaits a Worthwhile Story
No Chevrolet Nürburgring rematch is scheduled in the information Roma provided. The company’s next step, as described by the engineer, is to pursue motorsports projects that fit its plans rather than set a date to answer Ford. Any change in that position would require a new announcement from Chevrolet; until then, the possibility of another Corvette run remains open but unconfirmed.
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Key Questions
Is Chevrolet planning a Nürburgring rematch with Ford?
No rematch is planned as a direct response to Ford, Roma said. He did not rule out a later return for another reason.
Who made the decision public?
Tony Roma, Chevrolet’s executive chief engineer for Corvette and Performance Cars, discussed the plan on The Drivecast.
Why did Chevrolet go to Pikes Peak instead?
Roma said Chevrolet had already planned its Pikes Peak effort by the time Ford returned to the Nürburgring. He described the event as a fitting American motorsports showcase.
Could Chevrolet return to the Nürburgring later?
Yes. Roma said Chevrolet would do something when it had a worthwhile purpose and story, but gave no date, car or lap-time target.
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