---
title: "Formula 1’s Safety Car Driver Opens up About His One-Off Job"
description: "Bernd Maylander has been leading the Formula 1 field since he was offered the job in 1999."
date: "2018-03-04"
modified: "2018-03-04"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18975/formula-1s-safety-car-driver-opens-up-about-his-one-off-job"
categories:
  - "F1"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "Formula 1"
  - "Mercedes-AMG"
  - "racing"
---

# Formula 1’s Safety Car Driver Opens up About His One-Off Job

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/03/1437132771368.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

Formula 1 is quite literally the definition of global entertainment, and at every practice, qualifying session, and race, there's one man whose only job is to lead a field of [hot-tempered racers](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18810/heres-what-the-new-formula-1-halo-looks-like-from-the-drivers-seat>) through potentially dangerous situations. That man is Bernd Maylander, and he's been the FIA's official F1 safety car driver since 1999.

Maylander was recently interviewed from the comfort of his office, but as you'll see in this video, his office isn't your average cubicle. Nope, Maylander's everyday environment is the sweet Mercedes-AMG GT which is outfitted with a purpose-built interior that features racing bucket seats and various controls to operate the warning lights, communications systems, and other gadgets used to lead the [world's quickest race cars](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/8062/new-f1-car-speeds-could-cause-drivers-to-lose-consciousness>).

The interview offers great insight about the special job, but the interviewer eventually reveals to Maylander that he's actually led more than 700 [race laps](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18571/liberty-media-announces-special-hot-laps-program-for-fans-during-f1-weekends>) throughout his career, to which he responds: "And I never got a trophy, by the way!"

https://youtube.com/embed/FuHHTwhysmM

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)