Bernd Maylander, the iconic Formula 1 safety car driver, will reach an impressive milestone this coming weekend: his 500th F1 GP appearance, at the Australian Grand Prix, which opens the 2026 season. The German has been a constant figure in the category since 2000, when he made his debut precisely at the Albert Park circuit.
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With 26 years of service, Maylander has become as familiar a presence in races as the drivers themselves. His job consists of controlling the race pace and ensuring safety in the event of accidents or incidents, when it is necessary to send recovery or rescue vehicles onto the track. Over the years, he has been responsible for ‘holding’ the cars and maintaining order during moments of danger, always ready to spring into action.
With 500 GPs in his career, Maylander has reached a mark that makes him more experienced than any driver in Formula 1 history, even surpassing the record of Fernando Alonso, who has 426 races contested (counting this weekend’s Australian GP).
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Before taking on the role of safety car driver, Maylander had a distinguished career in motor racing, with victories in the 1997 FIA GT Championship, a second place at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans and a win at the 2000 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
To celebrate this achievement, the FIA paid tribute to Maylander with the presentation of a personalized Bell helmet, a poster and a cake, moments before the start of the race weekend, recognizing his long and dedicated contribution to safety on Formula 1 tracks.
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