Formula 1: Mercedes SLS is the most powerful safety car of all time

Everything new at Mercedes in Formula 1: A new works team founded, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg signed up and a new safety car has now been presented. From the coming season, the sports car will be M ercedes SLS AMG to lead the field if the pace has to be slowed down for safety reasons.

Mercedes SLS AMG with 571 hp and 650 Nm

The new SLS thus continues a long tradition of safety cars from AMG Mercedes. The silver racing cars have been in use on Formula 1 racetracks around the world since 1996. However, Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer has never been as fast as in the coming season.

With 571 hp, the gullwing has more power than any of its predecessors. Its 6.3 liter V8 engine provides a torque of 650 Newton meters. The Silver Arrow cracks the 100 km /h mark after just 3.8 seconds. There is no information about the maximum speed. The SLS should ultimately ensure safety and not break any lap records.

Gullwing with racing technology

The gullwing is pure racing technology. AMG sports bucket seats with six-point seat belts, systematic lightweight construction, a special sports suspension and ceramic brakes measuring 402x39 millimeters at the front and 360x32 millimeters at the rear speak a clear language. The 10-spoke aluminum wheels with 265/35 R19 tires at the front and 295/30 R20 at the rear are also weight-optimized.

However, the SLS only becomes a safety car with the distinctive Formula 1 logos and the huge light bar on the roof. So that the rear wing is still sufficiently exposed to air despite the structure, the aerodynamically sophisticated fixed lighting sits on a newly developed carbon hood.

LED technology ensures safety

For the first time, incandescent lamps were not used in the lighting unit. LEDs that shine in green and orange indicate to the pilot when the race will be open again. In addition, there are stroboscopic flashing lights in the headlights and taillights. A special number plate at the rear with 700 LEDs provides additional security, especially atRain or darkness.

Mercedes not only provides the safety but also the medical car. As in the previous two years, FIA chief physician Dr. Gary Hartstein chauffeured to the scene of the accident in a C63 AMG T-model. Just like the SLS, the medical car has the complex signaling technology. There are also two medical assistants in the back seats. Emergency equipment including defibrillator and ventilator is located in the trunk.