Mercedes Retains Exclusive F1 Safety & Medical Car Role as Aston Martin Pulls Out
Mercedes will remain the sole provider for both the safety and medical cars following Aston Martin's deal expiration.
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Mercedes' Safety Car vs Aston Martin Safety Car (image via Autosport)
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The 2026 season will witness Mercedes as the sole supplier for the safety and medical cars on the grid. Aston Martin had sponsored the role of Safety car. Now, the British manufacturer has confirmed that they will no longer provide the iconic AM F1 edition Vantage on track. Meanwhile, Mercedes has retained their contract and remains the sole provider for both cars.
During Aston Martin’s F1 return in 2021, the team decided to provide Safety Cars to amplify the constructor’s entry to the sport back then. However, after five years of successful dealing, the British giant now feels stable enough at the pinnacle of motorsport. The safety car provider did not renew their deal following the culmination of the 2025 season.
In a recent interview, an Aston Martin spokesperson confirmed that the deal between the automaker and the sport ended in the 2025 season. They continued that the British giant was grateful to hold such an important and critical role at the pinnacle of motorsport for so long. The team will continue to field two challengers on track, but will no longer use the additional safety car.
Aston Martin’s agreement with Formula 1 to provide the official FIA safety and medical car concluded at the end of the 2025 season, Having amplified the brand’s return to F1, we are grateful for the association and success of holding this critical role on the grid for the past five years.
An Aston Martin spokesperson said, via Motorsport.com.
Mercedes is likely to bring its 730-hp AMG GT Black Series as the safety car for the entire upcoming season. For now, no other manufacturer has made a deal with the sport to provide safety cars on track. Meanwhile, former racer Bernd Maylander will continue to play the role of the safety car driver, as he has for the past 26 years.
Bernd Maylander opens up about ‘still being nervous’ driving the F1 safety car
Bernd Maylander started his career in karting and raced in Formula Ford and the DTM during his motorsport career. However, the German then believed that being the safety car driver in Formula 1 was his true calling. Maylander has been honoring this role since the 2000 season, with a few exceptions in a couple of races. Now, the 54-year-old claims that he still gets nervous driving as the safety driver on the track.
Bernd Maylander pointed out that he still kept thinking about doing a good job on Saturday evening before the race. The German believed that these thoughts meant that he was nervous about doing a great job out on track. Maylander drew an example of a singer who couldn’t sing so well if they were not nervous at all before performing on the big stage.
Maybe it’s my character, On the Saturday evening before the race I’m still thinking: ‘Have I done this right? Is this correct?’ And if you’re asking if I still get nervous, yeah, that’s a kind of nervous. I think that’s like an actor or a singer. If they have to go on a stage and they’re not nervous anymore, I think the voice will be not as good as it could be.
Bernd Maylander said, as reported by motorsport.com.
Formula 1 has continued to evolve in terms of driver safety while racing on track. A safety car certainly enhances the safety procedures, as it allows the track marshals to clear the track for racing and set the pace of the race for those couple of laps. Bernd Maylander has honored his role very well for the past two and a half decades, and he will continue to do so despite being over 54 years of age.
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