Mercedes debut new Safety Car at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix and it's marking a very special milestone
Published on Jul 27, 2026 at 8:46 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 27, 2026 at 8:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Ben Thompson
There’s a new Mercedes F1 Safety Car in town, and it looks great.
It also marks a couple of important milestones for both Formula One and Mercedes.
Based on the GT 63 PRO, the new car debuted at the F1 GP in Hungary.
There’s only one question we’d like to ask.
Mercedes has been providing F1 Safety Cars for 30 years
Mercedes first started providing F1 Safety Cars in 1996, and they haven’t stopped since.
The new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO Safety Car is actually the 14th Mercedes-AMG model to take on this vital duty.
It replaced the old AMG GT Black Series, which served in 51 GPs since 2022 – most recently leading four laps at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 sending 612 horsepower to the rear wheels courtesy of a 9-speed transmission.
It’s also fitted with ceramic composite brakes and AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension with active roll stabilization.
Inside, there are RECARO bucket seats with six-point harness, a roll cage, and and an enlarged dual-tablet setup on the central console for seamless telemetry, GPS, and radio communication with Race Control.
The driver is Bernd Mayländer, a veteran F1 Safety Car driver.
But the only question is: will drivers think it’s too slow?
Why Formula One drivers often complain about Safety Cars
There are several reasons why F1 drivers dislike Safety Cars, and one of them is that they find the pace too slow.
Most drivers rarely drive standard road cars outside of Formula 1, and there is a good reason for it.
Time and again, numerous drivers have been quoted expressing the same sentiment: everything feels slow after driving a Formula One car.
This contrast explains why many drivers rarely use their personal car collections.
More importantly, it is the root of their constant complaints about Safety Cars being too slow.
And as ironic as it may sound, a 612-horsepower Mercedes is indeed a bit ‘slow’ when you compare it to an F1 car.
Talk about being set a high bar.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
