Mercedes-AMG GT R is the new F1 safety car

If you need a car that can hold its own surrounded by F1 cars, the 430kW AMG GT R isn’t a bad pick.

So, it’s a good thing that it’s the new safety car for the Formula 1 season in 2018, making its debut this weekend at Albert Park in Melbourne.

It also joins a long line of AMGs that have served as safety cars staring with the C36 AMG back in 1996.

Of course, the GT R is nowhere near as fast as the machines it’ll be herding, but it’ll be a capable (and stylish) part of any situation in which it’s required.

As the F1 safety car driver since 2000, Bernd Mayländer will once again be the driver in the new season, saying he’s quite pleased to have a new ‘office’ to replace the GT S he drove between 2015 and 2017.

"I am very much looking forward to my new company car,” Mayländer says.

“It is an absolute highlight in terms of driving dynamics and is one level higher up still than the AMG GT S of recent years.

“Of course, ideally the safety car should be deployed as rarely as possible – but when we have to safely bunch up the Formula 1 field and lead it around the track, we will be superbly equipped with the AMG GT R."

While Mayländer concentrates on driving the GT R, co-driver Richard Darker maintains radio contact with race control, and keeps an eye on the F1 cars using two iPads.

One runs the TV broadcast, while the other shows either an animated display of the current position of the vehicles or show current lap times. We wouldn’t mind having access to that setup, either.

FIA F1 Director Charlie Whiting says when Mayländer and the AMG GT R take to the track it’s important that the car is fast enough to keep the F1 cars running smoothly.

As well as the GT R safety car, a Mercedes-AMG C63 S Estate will play the role of medical car, crewed by up to three medics and driven by Alan van der Merwe.

The AMG GT R will be seen on track this weekend at Albert Park, though very rarely if all goes well.

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