Schumi and Nico Launch new Mercedes-Benz F1 safety car in Geneva

When the new Formula One season gets underway in Bahrain next week, it will mark the debut of the most spectacular and powerful Official Formula One Safety Car of all time.

The job of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which will be launched on 27 March 2010, is to ensure maximum safety in Formula One. The “gullwing” model replaces the SL63 AMG, which was used as the Official F1 Safety Car in 2008 and 2009. As in the last two years, the C63 AMG Estate will be used as the Official F1 Medical Car for the new season.

Together with the entire AMG Team, I am very proud that the new SLS AMG is the Official F1 Safety Car. Im sure all Mercedes and AMG fans will be excited to see the gullwing model together with the new Mercedes GP Petronas team at the F1 circuits

says Volker Mornhinweg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

From March 2010, the Official F1 Safety Car will be deployed whenever hazardous situations such as accidents or bad weather endanger normal racing. The SLS AMG, piloted by Bernd Mayländer (38, from Germany), will be on stand-by in the pit lane throughout the entire race. When radioed by Race Control, the former DTM driver and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tibbetts (44, from the UK), will take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the Formula One race cars safely around the circuit.

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has the best possible credentials for this demanding role in the top flight of motor racing: its 6.3-litre V8 engine has a maximum output of 420 kW (571 bhp) and a peak torque of 650 Nm, enabling the gullwing model to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Fast lap times are a must for the Official F1 Safety Car, otherwise the Formula One cars' tyres and brakes would cool down too quickly, while their engines could overheat.

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg appear with Mercedes-Benz chairman Dr Dieter Zetsche at the Geneva Motor Show, Geneva Motor Show, Palexpo, March 2, 2010.

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