Safety is a priority even in Formula One racing, which may seem like a race of hazards. Essentially, it is challenging to maintain high-speed race cars and keep them under control, and the situation gets worse in bad weather. Additionally, the marshals are equally at risk of getting seriously injured during the sport. Hence, safety cars were introduced to keep the track clear in case of any collision or heavy rains.
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What are safety cars?
A safety car, sometimes known as a pace car, is a vehicle that limits the speed of racing automobiles or motorcycles on an F1 racetrack during a caution period, such as when there is an obstruction on the course or poor weather. The purpose of the safety car is to allow for the clearance of any obstacle in risky conditions, particularly for marshals, and to wait for better weather conditions on the circuit.
The deployment of a pace vehicle during the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911 was the first time this safety measure was used.
How does it work?
Formula One is a high-risk motorsport competition. If an accident or severe weather makes regular racing unsafe, the Race Director orders a safety car. The usage of a safety car in an F1 race clumps competitors together, effectively eliminating any time or distance advantage that a leading driver would have over the rest of the field. The safety car has a light bar with both orange and green lights installed on its roof. The green lights indicate that overtaking the safety car is possible. The safety car offers an advantage over the usual red flag for incidents. A red flag would take at least fifteen minutes to restart the race, and the two-hour limit would not begin until the vehicles were ready for a second formation lap.
Also Read: Remembering Our Forgotten F1 Racetracks, For The Victories They Brought Us And The Unrivalled Joy!
Over the years, safety cars have transformed drastically. Here are a few cool safety cars.
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At the 1995 Belgian Grand Prix, Porsche used the 993 generation 911 GT2 as a safety car. One of the reasons this car has made to the cool safety cars list is that it was developed specifically to meet the homologation standards for the GT2 class. With a 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine producing 430PS and 586Nm, it was also the apex of 911s that were air-cooled and the last of its sort. It took only 3.9 seconds to reach 100 km, with a top speed of 301 km/hr.
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It was the first performance-oriented vehicle for the first-generation C-Class. A 3.6-litre inline-six engine produced 280PS and 385Nm, resulting in a 0-100kmph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 250kmph. Overall, it was the ideal approach to show off the first AMG-tuned C-Class in the world's most prestigious F1 race.
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Out of all the royal arms that have served safety car duties, the SLS AMG has a special place in the hearts of Formula One fans, thanks to those gorgeous gullwing doors. The coupe is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine that produces 571 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The car can rush from 0 to 100 km/hr in just 3.8 seconds before reaching a high speed of 317 km/hr, which is electronically limited.
Photo Credit: www.mercedes-benz.com
The successor of the SLS AMG may not have been as popular; it was chunkier yet clean in design as it moved into the more current spectrum of safety automobiles. It was fuelled by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that produced 510 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. With a 0-100kmph sprint time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 310kmph, it's a fast car off the line.
Also Read: 4 Well-Maintained Mercedes Sedans That Will Not Make a Big Dent in Your Pocket
Photo Credit: www.astonmartin.com
The Aston Martin Vantage is, without a doubt, the best of the club. It is the newest addition to the F1 safety cars club. The Vantage displays a sleek design and a rather aggressive rear end, complemented by a green body and lime green highlights. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine's power has been increased to 535PS. It also has improved powertrain, suspension, steering, and dampers.
Though Formula One safety cars help ensure the safety of drivers and provide assistance, the competitive edge reflects that these are no less than supercars. In fact, these cool safety cars can give supercars a run for their money.
