Bernd Mayländer

Racing Driver, Formula One Safety Car Driver

German Waiblingen, Germany

Quick Info

ProfessionRacing Driver, Formula One Safety Car Driver
NationalityGerman
Date of Birth29/05/1971
Age54 years
BirthplaceWaiblingen, Germany

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Bio/Wiki

SummaryGerman racing driver who has served as the Formula One safety car driver since 2000, leading over 700 laps during his career. He competed in various motorsport series including DTM, FIA GT, and Porsche Supercup before becoming the primary F1 safety car driver. Mayländer has driven Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin safety cars, capable of speeds up to 325 km/h, and is responsible for neutralizing races when incidents occur by regrouping single-seater cars at moderate speed.

Relationships & More

F1 Safety Car Map ReaderPeter Tibbetts

Career

Racing Career Start1992 in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany
Major Series
  • Porsche Carrera Cup (1994 Champion)
  • Porsche Supercup
  • Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) 2001-2004
  • FIA GT Championship
  • Porsche Carrera Cup Germany (1994 Champion)
  • Porsche Supercup (2000 Second Place)
  • Le Mans 24 Hours (1999 Second Place in GT class)
Notable Achievements
  • Won 24-hour Nürburgring race in 2000 with Porsche 996 GT3 R (alongside Uwe Alzen, Michael Bartels, Altfrid Heger)
  • DTM race victory at Hockenheimring in 2001
  • FIA GT race victory in 1997 with Mercedes CLK GTR
  • Participated in Mercedes world record endurance drive in May 2005 (100,000 miles in 30 days)
  • Porsche Carrera Cup Germany Champion in 1994
  • Second place finish at Le Mans 24 Hours in 1999 (GT class)
F1 Safety Car Career
Start Date12/03/2000 (Australian Grand Prix)
DurationSince 2000 with very few exceptions
Exceptions
  • 2001 Monaco Grand Prix (replaced by Marcel Fässler due to injury)
  • 2001 Canadian Grand Prix (replaced by Marcel Fässler due to injury)
  • 2002 United States Grand Prix (replaced by Damien Faulkner)
Laps LedOver 700 laps
Safety Car VehiclesMercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG (2000-2021), Mercedes-AMG GT (730 horsepower), Aston Martin V8 Vantage (since 2022)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Supported the 'Safety Cars für Safety Kids' initiative since mid-2007, promoting road safety for young pedestrians
2. Has driven multiple Mercedes safety car models throughout his F1 career
3. Caught the attention of F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting and Deputy Race Director Herbie Blash while competing in Porsche Supercup
4. Caught the attention of F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting while competing in Formula 3000 in the late 1990s, leading to his invitation to drive the F1 safety car
5. Despite leading over 700 laps and having high-profile appearances almost every weekend, remains relatively unknown to the general public
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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