What Safety Car Is Used in F1? Who Is Bernd Maylander, F1’s Trusted Safety Car Driver of 26 Years?

The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ is the official and exclusive vehicle used as the safety car in F1 in 2026. The car is driven by former racing driver Bernd Maylander, who has been driving the safety car in the series for the entirety of the 21st century so far.

The Mercedes used as the safety car in F1 is adorned in a black and red livery. It is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 bi-turbo which delivers upwards of 612 horsepower. In 2026, the car is also the first-ever all-wheel-drive version of a safety car.

The interior of the car is also customized with multiple screens displaying the official FIA marshaling system, live lap times, track positioning data and real-time television feeds so the co-driver can monitor the racetrack.

Other than this, the FIA medical car is also a Mercedes, specifically the AMG C63 SE Performance.

Who is Bernd Maylander, Driver of the F1 Safety Car?

Maylander is arguably the most consistent driver in F1 history, having served as the official FIA Formula 1 Safety Car driver since the 2000 season. Back then, he was driving the Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG.

Before that, Maylander, who hails from Germany, began karting in the late 1980s. He raced in Formula Ford and then the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, winning the latter in 1994. At the 1999 Le Mans 24 Hours, he finished second in the GTLM class.

Maylander also has a DTM win on his resume, winning at the Hockenheimring in 2001. Having driven a Mercedes in DTM, he got the call to the role of the official safety car driver from the German company due to his affiliation with the brand.

He began his role at the 2000 season-opening Australian GP, and has been the designated safety car driver ever since.

Mercedes Became Exclusive Safety Car in F1 Following Aston Martin’s Exit

Mercedes retained its role as the exclusive F1 safety car in 2026 following Aston Martin’s exit at the end of the previous year. Prior to that, the two automakers rotated safety car duties across the calendar from 2021 to 2025.

But Aston Martin, which signed a five-year deal in 2021, chose not to renew it, as the deal concluded at the end of the 2025 season.

While Aston Martin was sharing safety car duties with Mercedes, the company deployed a green Aston Martin Vantage as the safety car and an Aston Martin DBX, its high-performance SUV, as the medical car.

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