Safety car driver Bernd Mayländer is facing a special milestone. During the upcoming Australian Grand Prix, where the opening round of the F1 championship will be held, the German celebrates his five hundredth Grand Prix. In 2000, Mayländer made his debut, also in Melbourne. What followed was a long career in the premier class, in which he led countless races safely. After more than twenty-five years in the profession, he still doesn’t think about stopping.
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In a recent interview with Mercedes’ official channels, Mayländer looked back on the past two and a half decades. His career as a safety car driver began by chance, he said. He remembers a phone call during a race weekend in Imola in 1999. “I was still driving in the Porsche Supercup at the time,” said Mayländer. “On Friday afternoon I received a phone call from Charlie Whiting, then race director in Formula 1. He asked me if I could replace the safety car driver in Formula 3000 at short notice, because Oliver Gavin was racing in that class himself.” That substitution turned out to be the decisive audition.
Long career
“A year later I was officially offered the safety car role in Formula 1,” he said. “I accepted it with great pleasure. Melbourne 2000 marked the beginning of an era that I consider the most important in my life. I remember it well: I was on the starting grid with the entire F1 field behind me. I will never forget that moment.”
Mayländer has not given up his role since then and is celebrating his five hundredth Grand Prix during the race weekend in Australia. What is the secret behind his long career? “You shouldn’t imagine that you’re winning a race, even if you’re in the lead every time you go out on track,” he joked. “It is essential to follow the instructions of the race control closely, stay in constant contact with them and know exactly what information you need to pass on.”
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‘Aiming for seven hundred and fifty Grands Prix’
As a safety car driver, Mayländer also experienced plenty of dark moments. After heavy crashes, it was his job to give the drivers direction and ensure safety. “I mainly think back to the serious accidents in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3,” he sighed. “I would rather not have experienced those, but even then you have to function and do your job. I don’t want to mention specific incidents; I prefer to focus on how we faced difficult situations together.”
At 54 years old, Mayländer still enjoys his role behind the wheel. For now, he is not thinking about stopping. “The six hundredth Grand Prix is coming into view,” he concluded tirelessly. “But seven hundred and fifty would be fantastic. As long as I enjoy it and maintain the level that Mercedes and the FIA expect of me, I’m far from finished.”
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