The Z06 GT3.R was launched on 27 January 2023, the eve of the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona. Its development had begun approximately two years earlier, with virtual simulations conducted in Chevrolet's Driver in the Loop simulator starting in early 2021. The first on-track test took place in September 2022, beginning a full year of on-track development before customer deliveries commenced in the third quarter of 2023. The car was also observed testing at Sebring International Raceway in March 2023.
The transition to GT3 regulations rather than a continuation under GTE was driven by the broader industry shift away from the GTE class, which the ACO and the FIA discontinued in favour of GT3-based competition in LMGT3. This meant Pratt Miller and Chevrolet had to design a car compliant with GT3 Balance of Performance rules rather than the manufacturer-controlled GTE regulations under which previous Corvette factory racers had competed.
The first factory-supported programme was announced on 23 June 2023: a two-car effort in IMSA's GT Daytona Pro category under the Corvette Racing with Pratt Miller Motorsports banner. Five days later, on 28 June 2023, British outfit TF Sport confirmed it would switch from Aston Martin to Corvette, fielding two cars in the new FIA WEC LMGT3 category. On 3 August 2023, Canadian team AWA announced a two-car entry in the IMSA GT Daytona class for 2024 and 2025, having previously competed in the LMP3 category.
The Z06 GT3.R made its competitive debut at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona. The car subsequently competed across multiple championships in its debut season and beyond, including the full IMSA SportsCar Championship calendar, the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 category, the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the European Le Mans Series, the Asian Le Mans Series, the GT World Challenge Europe, GT World Challenge America, and GT World Challenge Asia, as well as major endurance events including the 24 Hours of Spa, 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and the Indianapolis 8 Hour.
The Z06 GT3.R won the LMGT3 class at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Z06 GT3.R represents a significant strategic shift for Corvette Racing. Where previous factory Corvette racing cars operated under a largely proprietary programme — designed to GTE rules with Pratt Miller and Chevrolet controlling technical development — the GT3.R competes under Balance of Performance regulations shared with all other GT3 manufacturers. This opens Corvette Racing participation to a wider pool of customer teams globally while reducing the direct factory technical control that had defined the GTE era. The car continues the Corvette Racing tradition of producing competitive factory-supported GT machinery built by Pratt Miller, now extending it into the customer GT3 ecosystem that defines modern international GT competition.