Mercedes-AMG takes wraps off F1 medical, safety cars

Mercedes has unveiled two new cars for the 2022 Formula 1 season. However, these vehicles, unlike the W13, will not be on the starting grid as they will play the role of this year’s safety and medical cars. The German carmaker will continue to share its duties on the track with British automotive brand Aston Martin.

“Recent years have seen Mercedes-AMG celebrate a huge number of amazing successes in the FIA Formula One World Championship. Eight constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles in the last eight years speak emphatically for themselves. Added to that is the extensive and widespread transfer of technology and image from this greatest of all motorsport stages and our series-production vehicles. Motorsport means so much to us, as does the best possible level of safety. There was absolutely no question that, after more than 25 years, we would extend our commitment as the provider of the safety car and medical car — with two absolutely outstanding vehicles from our lineup,” said Mercedes-AMG GmbH CEO Philipp Schiemer.

Supporting the race for the first time as Official Safety Car is the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. Most notable is the absence of the traditional light bar on its roof. According to Mercedes, it was removed as it “would have interfered with the carefully refined aerodynamic balance of the AMG GT Black Series.” Instead, the Safety Car’s front signaling system has been integrated into the upper area of the windscreen while the rear signaling system is incorporated into the rear spoiler.

“All signaling functions are delivered via fast-reacting and energy-efficient LED lights,” added the Stuttgart-based brand.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Safety Car is also equipped with two small video cameras, one of which serves as an electronic rearview mirror for the co-driver while the other transmits a live TV stream.

Inside, the Official Safety Car features elements present in the standard AMG GT Black Series. It also sports a lightweight roll cage made from bolted tubular titanium consisting of a main frame, a belt-fixture brace, two rear braces, and a diagonal cross at the rear.

It also has six-point safety harnesses — stipulated by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) — and two tablets sitting at the center console.

Power will come from a V8 bi-turbo engine and produces 730hp, allowing the vehicle to keep up with everyone on the track.

Driving the safety car will be Bernd Mayländer alongside Richard Darker.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ will make its debut as the season’s Official Medical Car. It will be on standby for rapid emergency response and is crewed by up to three medics, including the FIA’s Medical Rescue Coordinator, Dr. Ian Roberts.

To make sure it has the power to haul the equipment it carries as well as its crew, it’s fitted with a 4.0-liter V8 bi-turbo engine that puts out 639hp.

Unlike the safety car though the medical car will have a light bar on the roof, mounted on the carbon-fiber scoop designed to offer the lowest possible wind resistance. The blade on the rear wing is fixed at the steepest possible angle for maximum downforce.

Inside the medical car is a set of emergency equipment including a defibrillator, breathing apparatus, rescue cutter, and two handheld fire extinguishers. Like the Safety Car, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4Matic+ sports six-point harnesses. It has three tablets and an additional monitor for the electronic rearview mirror.

“Since 1996 — that’s every single year for more than a quarter of a century — Mercedes-AMG has been supplying the vehicles Formula 1 needs in emergencies. In their role as Official F1 Safety Car, our performance vehicles have been safely leading the Formula 1 field around the track when called upon in bad weather or in the event of an incident. When needed, our Official F1 Medical Car is on the spot as quickly as possible. To ensure this, we have upped the ante even further for the 2022 season with our most powerful models to date, the AMG GT Black Series and the AMG GT 63 S. What’s more, their on-track performance displays their unfiltered motorsport DNA more than any of their predecessors. As always, of course, I nevertheless hope that these vehicles are called upon for support as little as possible,” said Mercedes-AMG GmbH Head of Motorsport Christoph Sagemüller.

Photos from Mercedes-Benz

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