500 Grand Prix of Bernd Mayländer as the F1 Safety Car Driver!

One of F1’s favourite unsung heroes is about to celebrate a big milestone.

Australia 2026 may be the first race of our sport’s new era, but it also marks a major milestone for one of its longest standing participants.

Melbourne this weekend will be the 500^th on duty for Bernd Mayländer as the Official F1 Safety Car driver.

Before the weekend, the team at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport caught up with Bernd to get this thoughts on a unprecedented anniversary in F1 history.

How did you become the Official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver, and what qualities do you need to still be doing this job after 25 years?

BM: “In 1999, I was still actively involved in motorsport myself. I was driving in the Porsche Supercup, which was already being held as part of F1 at that time.

“Prior to that, I had been a driver for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM for four years and later also in the FIA GT Championship. At the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, I got a call on a Friday afternoon from Charlie Whiting, who was the F1 race director at the time.

“He asked me if I could step in at short notice as the official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver in Formula 3000. This had been arranged by Norbert Haug, who was head of motorsport at Mercedes-Benz at the time.

“Oliver Gavin, who was driving the Safety Car in both F1 and Formula 3000 at the time, was competing as a driver in Formula 3000 himself.

“The FIA was therefore looking for a replacement, so I initially took over his role in Formula 3000. A year later, I was finally offered the role of Safety Car Driver in Formula 1.

“I was delighted to accept.

‘You Have to Understand the DNA of Racing’

“Since then, I have been working with Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG as the official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver for over 25 years and will be celebrating my 500th Grand Prix with the brand in Melbourne.

“This era is a very special and significant period in my life. To perform this task over so many years, you need certain qualities. You mustn't imagine that, as an official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver, you are winning a race, even if you are leading every race in which you are deployed.

“It is also crucial to follow the race control's instructions precisely, to be in constant dialogue with them and to know exactly what information is expected and how to pass it on accurately.

“As a Safety Car Driver, you are part of the FIA, which is of course something special. And finally, you absolutely must have a fascination for motorsport and maintain it over the years.

“You have to understand the DNA of racing and realise that you are responsible for leading the field safely and then handing it back to the race control in an orderly manner. I am often asked how long I want to continue doing this.

“Of course, it's impossible to predict, but I have my sights set firmly on 600, it could also be 700, and 750 would be a great number. To do that, I obviously have to stay in top shape, because a season with 24 races requires a lot of energy.

But as long as I enjoy my job so much and can maintain the level together with Mercedes-AMG and the FIA, there will certainly be a few more.”

‘We once put the wrong fuel into the Safety Car!’

As the Official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver, which situations do you remember most vividly, and which would you rather have done without?

BM: “Perhaps when I retire, I'll think about writing a book about my time as the Official FIA F1 Safety Car Driver. But of course, I still remember my first race in Melbourne in 2000 very well.

“I was standing on the starting grid at Albert Park Circuit in the Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG, with the entire Formula 1 field behind me. That was a moment I will never forget.

“Over the years, there have been countless other memorable moments, such as new vehicle models and technical developments. But there have also been negative moments. I am thinking primarily of the serious accidents in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3.

“I would have gladly done without such events. But even in such situations, I had to function and do my job.

“I don't want to single out any individual scenes – I'd rather forget them. But there are many examples of how we worked together to make the best of difficult situations.

“Once, for example, we received the wrong fuel. Our AMG mechanics had to remove the tanks in no time and fly in replacement parts. That was obviously extremely stressful, but thanks to perfect teamwork, we were able to master even such situations.”

‘Faster, Clearer, and more Professional Processes’

How has F1 changed in terms of safety?

BM: “F1 has changed enormously over the past few decades – as have the Safety Cars. The FIA and Mercedes-AMG have done an excellent job here.

“The level of safety has risen steadily thanks to new regulations, technical requirements and, above all, modern engineering.

“The Official FIA F1 Safety Cars themselves are always at the highest level of safety. Nowadays, we have on-board monitoring systems that provide us with additional information.

“Communication is now not only via radio, but also visually displayed on monitors. This reduces misunderstandings, ensures clear procedures and helps us to pass on information accurately.

“Another major advance is the speed and efficiency of cooperation with race control and the FIA. Processes are now significantly faster, clearer and more professional. And, of course, this doesn't just apply to the Official FIA F1 Safety Cars.

“The F1 cars, the race tracks and the entire motorsport scene also operate at an extremely high level of safety. This is an impressive development that I have been able to experience first-hand and help shape throughout my career.”