Mercedes Unveils the New F1 Safety Car
The Formula 1 Safety Car has been supplied by Mercedes for much of the modern era, with Aston Martin joining the rotation in 2021 and sharing the role with the German manufacturer in recent seasons. For 2026, however, Mercedes-AMG is once again the championship's sole Safety Car supplier, and the Hungarian Grand Prix marks the debut of its latest machine: the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+.
The new Safety Car is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 612 horsepower and 850Nm of torque. It also features Mercedes-AMG's variable 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system, which is designed to provide strong traction and stability when the car is required to lead the Formula 1 field at speed.
The car has also received aerodynamic changes specifically suited to its role on the circuit. These include a new front splitter, front dive planes and a redesigned rear wing featuring an active flap. The upgrades are intended to improve aerodynamic performance and stability, helping the Safety Car maintain sufficient pace to keep the F1 cars' tyres and brakes within their operating temperatures during neutralised periods.
Its arrival in Hungary also coincides with an important milestone for Mercedes. The manufacturer is celebrating 30 years as a Formula 1 Safety Car supplier, having first taken on the role in 1996. Since then, a succession of Mercedes performance cars have led the field during incidents and dangerous conditions, with Bernd Mayländer, who has served as the official F1 Safety Car driver since 2000, continuing behind the wheel of the new GT 63 PRO.
Now, with Mercedes-AMG once again the championship's exclusive Safety Car supplier, the GT 63 PRO begins a new chapter in that long-running partnership.