F1 | Bernd Maylander, the leading rider

"The pilots they want the Safety Car to always go at maximum speed and I understand them. It is important for them that their tires do not get too cold. On the radio maybe they make comments, but officially no one has ever complained to me since."

Bernd Maylander, official Safety Car driver since 2000, told the German weekly Speedweek what it means to be at the front and lead the train of drivers who, aboard their single-seaters, are often eager to get back into the race. Although the Safety Car is certainly not a slow car, even more so this year, with the Mercedes-AMG GT R which thanks to the 8-litre twin-turbo V4 engine with 585 HP of power and 700 Nm of torque it is the fastest Safety Car ever in the history of Formula 1.

Here are some thoughts from Maylander on the pilots he found himself having to keep at bay: “Hamilton is always far behind and in the blind spot: I have to be damn careful because I often lose sight of him and I don't know where he is. Rosberg on the other hand was very intelligent and even seeing Michael Schumacher in the mirrors was pleasant. Vettel, on the other hand, is the funniest one, because he likes to brake sharply and then accelerate again. I remember that in 2009 in China I almost ended up aquaplaning off the track when I was in front of him: once the race was over he came to me smiling and said: don't worry, you were going to the limit".