Mercedes has been supplying F1 with official safety
cars for over 20 years now, with all of them being eminently fast and powerful.
This one however is the most powerful yet. It’s a new Mercedes-AMG GT R that’s
been outfitted to set the pace this year, replacing the GT S that has filled
the position until now. The top version of Affalterbach’s dedicated sports car
packs the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as so many other AMG-tuned models.
But in the GT R, it’s tuned to deliver 577
horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to send the Porsche 911 rival
rocketing to 60 in 3.5 seconds.
Like most other pace or safety cars, this one’s been
fitted with all manner of extra equipment. There’s racing harnesses, a roll cage,
radio communication equipment, and flashing lights. The GT R also bears the
series’ new logo on its hood and doors.
The new safety car will be on hand for the season
opener in Melbourne this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, where it will be
joined by a Mercedes-AMG C63 S wagon, serving as the medical car.
