It’s that time of the year once again when the eagerly-awaited first race of the 2018 Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne, Australia. Yet this year’s races will also see a new Safety Car in the guise of the Mercedes-AMG GT-R.
Piloted by Bernd Maylander, the 577hp GT-R packs a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 that can take the most powerful F1 Safety Car to 318kph without breaking a sweat. Coming at the heels of the Mercedes-AMG GT-S used from 2015 to 2017, the AMG GT-R comes loaded with the Track Package that ads roll-over protection and ceramic brakes for optimum stopping force.
Apart from this, the Safety Car gets a roof-mounted light bar, an air scoop optimized in the wind tunnel, and F1 livery. The cabin is likewise made a bit more special thanks to two iPads that help Safety Car occupants keep track of track action. The left monitor shows live TV coverage while the one on the right displays an animated feed of where the cars are on the track, complete with lap times.
While the AMG GT-R will help ensure that everything is in check, medical emergencies will be taken care of by the Medical Car—a Mercedes-AMG C63 S Estate (wagon). Driven by Alan Van der Merwe, the wagon will also have FIA F1 deputy medical delegate Dr. Ian Roberts occupying the co-pilot’s chair. There will also be either one or two assistant medics from the race location’s nearby hospital on hand in the car. This being a wagon, the 490L cargo hold can carry a respirator, a defibrillator, and other medical equipment.
The 2018 Formula 1 season will run a total of 20 races from this weekend all through November.
