FIA Safety Car Driver Bernd Mayländer on Racing Champions and His Personal Benchmarks

Bernd Mayländer, the veteran behind the FIA safety car for almost 30 years, opened up about his role, the champions he’s chased and the personal standards that keep him sharp. From his start in Formula 3000 to hitting the 500‑Grand‑Prix milestone, he treats each safety‑car deployment as a race of its own, constantly comparing his sector times to last year’s data.

Why it matters:

• The safety‑car can instantly freeze a race, protecting drivers and reshaping strategy; flawless driving is essential.
• Legends like Schumacher, Hamilton and Verstappen respect Mayländer’s consistency, reinforcing the trust placed in the safety‑car driver.
• Consistent performance ensures race control can rely on precise timing and safe re‑starts.

The Details:

• Mayländer joined the FIA safety‑car programme in 1999 after a short stint in Formula 3000.
• He benchmarks his performance by analysing Thursday test data and “purple sector” times, turning each sortie into a personal competition.
• He notes Schumacher’s aggression, likening it to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, while describing Sergio Perez’s style as more relaxed.

What's next:

• He targets 600‑650 Grand Prix starts before handing the wheel to a younger successor, likely before age 78.
• Upcoming safety‑car upgrades will tighten data links with race control, making the driver’s role increasingly analytical, yet he says he still enjoys the job daily.