The safety car with the three-pointed star has been a constant feature for 26 years now, and during that time, high-performance models, including the Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG, the Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG and the spectacular SLS AMG gullwing specially developed by Mercedes-AMG, have all been utilised.

This upcoming F1 season is now set to mark a premiere when the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series (fuel consumption combined: 12.8 l/100 km, CO2 emissions combined: 292 g/km)¹  leads the field as the safety car. 

At the same time, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ (fuel consumption combined: 13.5-13.0 l/100 km, CO2 emissions combined: 308-295 g/km)¹  will make its debut as the medical car. These two F1 safety vehicles about to be deployed this season will be the most powerful ever used and will sport the same distinctive red livery as last year.

"And I'm particularly pleased this year to be in a Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. I've already had the chance to test this amazing vehicle on numerous occasions and I'm simply blown away by how close it is to a thoroughbred racing car. It really is a major step forward compared to last year's GT R which was already at an extremely high level. To have a workplace like this in the name of safety is a dream come true."

While Mayländer has to focus on the track ahead when the safety car is called out while observing what is happening in his rear-view mirror at the same time, co-driver Richard Darker is responsible for maintaining radio contact with race control. Darker must also watch the race action on two screens and follow a 'marshalling system', showing the flag signals on each section of track. There's also a 'medical warning light'. In the event of an accident on the track that exceeds a critical g-force threshold, the LEDs flash several times. This provides Bernd Mayländer and Richard Darker with an additional warning to prepare for action.

 Another advantage over the rear-wheel drive C 63 S is the fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system to ensure optimal traction and maximum driving safety even in adverse weather conditions and pouring rain.

The medical car is always on hand to provide speedy emergency care and apart from its driver, FIA Medical Rescue Coordinator Dr Ian Roberts plus one or sometimes even two local doctors from a specialist clinic near the track are generally on board.

The medical car closely shadows the F1 field on the starting lap when the racing cars are particularly close together during this critical phase of the race so that in the event of an incident, doctors can reach the scene of the accident as quickly as possible and start administering first-aid immediately. During the race, the Official FIA F1 Medical Car® is normally parked in the pit lane next to the safety car.

Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GmbH added: "To ensure F1's needs are met, we have upped the ante even further for the 2022 season with our most powerful models to date, the AMG GT Black Series and the AMG GT 63 S. What's more, their on-track performance displays their unfiltered motor racing DNA more than any of their predecessors. As always, of course, I hope that these vehicles will be called upon for support as little as possible."

Beginning with the F1 season-opening round, the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on 20 March 2022, Mercedes-AMG will share the challenging duty of providing safety car and medical car with British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin as was the case last year.