Mercedes Confirmed as Exclusive F1 Safety Car Provider from 2026

Mercedes-Benz has been officially confirmed as the sole supplier of the Official FIA Formula 1 Safety and Medical Cars for the 2026 season, extending its long-standing partnership with the championship. The new agreement, which follows the conclusion of Aston Martin's contract, will see Mercedes-AMG vehicles lead the field at every Grand Prix weekend, including pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Why it matters:

This renewal solidifies a nearly three-decade relationship between Mercedes and F1's safety operations, a role that provides immense global visibility for the brand's performance and safety credentials under extreme conditions. With the 2026 season coinciding with major technical regulation changes for the cars themselves, having a consistent and trusted safety partner provides crucial operational stability for the FIA.

The details:

• The contract confirmation was expected after Aston Martin announced its existing deal would conclude at the end of the 2025 season.
• Mercedes will supply the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series as the Safety Car and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ as the Medical Car, continuing the model lineup introduced in 2022.
• The 2026 season marks two significant milestones for Mercedes in this role:
  • The 30th anniversary of its first Safety Car deployment at the 1996 French Grand Prix.
  • Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer is set to reach 500 Grand Prix appearances in his iconic role.
• Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, emphasized that safety is a core brand value and that the role showcases vehicle performance, reliability, and safety in the pinnacle of motorsport.

What's next:

The Mercedes-AMG fleet will first see action during the 2026 pre-season tests, scheduled for February 11-13 and 18-20 in Bahrain. The competitive season is then set to commence with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park from March 6-8. The long-term deal ensures the familiar silver cars with flashing lights will remain a fixture of F1 weekends for the foreseeable future, as the sport enters its next regulatory era.