AMG: New Formula 1 Safety Car

In its debut year, the brand-new CLK 63 AMG will also debut as the official Formula 1 safety car for the 2006 season. With its 481 bhp AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine, its modified brakes, suspension, cooling and exhaust system, and an extensive package of lightweight components, the fast-paced coupe is well prepared for its responsible role on the Formula 1 racing circuits. The first outing for the CLK 63 AMG safety car will be at the Bahrain Grand Prix (March 9 to 12, 2006); the standard version will then appear in the second quarter of 2006. Meanwhile, as in previous years, the C 55 AMG estate will be ready for action in all 18 Formula 1 races as the official medical car. Its job is to help as fast as possible at the scene of an emergency.

The CLK 63 AMG Formula 1 safety car will have the task of keeping the Formula 1 racecars safely out of trouble in the event of accidents or bad weather. At a signal from Race Control, the safety car piloted by former DTM driver Bernd Maylander must move into position at the head of the field and lead the cars round the track at the fastest possible speed since otherwise the high-engine F1 engines will overheat and the tires will lose grip.

The high-speed AMG V8 Coupe is excellently equipped for this job. Its new, eight-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, which was developed entirely by AMG, has a displacement of 6.3 liters and develops maximum power of 481 bhp at 6,800 rpm and maximum torque of 465 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm. The power is managed by an AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission with steering-wheel shift paddles. For its Formula 1 role, the CLK 63 AMG gets a new throaty-sounding exhaust system which will go down well with motor sport fans both at the track and in front of the TV screens.

The new AMG safety car is well endowed with motor sport technology to help it brave any climate, including a high-performance radiator, two engine oil coolers fitted in the sides of the front apron and an auxiliary, larger transmission oil cooler. The rear axle differential has cooling fins and separate oil cooler.

Racing-derived Suspension and Brake Technology
To optimize handling, further typical racing features of the safety car include an adjustable threaded suspension and 19-inch AMG forged alloy wheels with wide-base tires, size 235/35 at the front and 265/30 at the rear. The safety car has a 70 millimeters wider track at the front and a 60 millimeters wider track at the rear than the standard car, as indicated by the wider wheel arches. The new larger-sized AMG high-performance brake system with excellent braking performance and fade characteristics features 390-millimetre composite discs at the front with six-piston calipers, and 330-millimetre steel brake discs with four-piston calipers at the rear. The brake discs are vented and perforated on all wheels. Since the front brakes take more load than the rear brakes, they are equipped with specially adapted cooling ducts.

Lighter than the Standard Version
In terms of performance, the AMG safety car gets an added edge from being more than 330 lbs lighter than the road version – despite all the additional componentry such as communication equipment, lights, rear axle and brake cooling and the larger wheels and brake system. The Mercedes-AMG engineers made these substantial weight savings by using carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), a high-tech material used in Formula 1 and the DTM. The front and rear aprons, the bonnet, the front wings and the doors are all made from this light-weight material. The AMG safety car weighs in at 3526 lbs, and than the standard CLK 63 AMG weighs 3857 lbs (both figures EC kerb weight).

Sophisticated Communication Equipment
The main visual indicators that this is not the standard CLK 63 AMG are the FIA F1 logos and the lights on the roof. The white strobe lights in the headlamps and taillights are always on when the car is in action. They have a neutral function and simply serve to attract attention. To communicate with Race Control, the safety car is equipped with a sophisticated radio system, a TV monitor and TV cameras mounted inside and outside the vehicle. Bernd Maylander's "workplace" is fitted with two bucket seats with 4-point belts, exclusive silver/black leather upholstery, F1 sill panels, a high-grip AMG sports steering wheel and superior-quality carbon trim, all of which emphasize the special character of the new FIA safety car from Mercedes-AMG.

Mercedes-AMG has been supplying the Formula 1 safety car continuously for the past ten years. A V8 AMG E-Class Coupe was used as a medical car as far back as 1984.


Formula One Safety Car

The safety car has found its name in the fact that is it a "regular" car which needs to take car of security. During Formula One races it is sent on track when the race director decides there is a dangerous situation that should be handled with extreme care. When on track, no racing car may pass the safety car in order to control the speeds of the racers. During that time, any overtaking is forbidden while it is allowed to make a pitstop during the period.

To date, the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix is the only Formula One race to finish behind the Safety Car.

While it is a regular car and thus not a single seater, it is vastly slower than Formula One cars. However, the best performing road cars are used to fulfill this task as speeds must not drop too much. Formula One cars rely cooling by moving through air (without an active fan) which at low temperatures may cause the engines to overheat. Tyres on the other hand may cool down and thereby provide less grip.

The first use of the Safety Car in Formula One was at the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix. However, the Safety Car took its place in front of the wrong driver, which placed part of the field incorrectly one lap down. It took several hours after the end of the race to straighten out who the winner actually was. The safety car was only used again 20 years later, in the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Safety car 2008 : Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG

Specification
Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMGEngine: 6208 cc V8
Power: 525 bhp (386 kW)
Torque: 630Nm at 5200 rpm
Redline at RPM: 7200
Brakes: ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Tires front-rear: 255/35 R19 - 285/30 R19 from Bridgestone
Driveline: Rear Wheel Drive
Weight: 1750 kg

The FIA safety car is driven by an experienced circuit driver (who is since 2000 Bernd Maylander, a former DTM and Porche supercop driver). It carries an FIA observer capable of recognising all the competing cars, who is in permanent radio contact with race control.

30 minutes before the race start time the safety car takes up position at the front of the grid and remains there until the five minute signal is given. At this point (except under m) below) it will cover a whole lap of the circuit and enter the pit lane.

The safety car may be brought into operation to neutralise a race upon the decision of the clerk of the course. It will be used only if competitors or officials are in immediate physical danger but the circumstances are not such as to necessitate stopping the race. When the order is given to deploy the safety car, all observer's posts will display waved yellow flags and a board "SC" which shall be maintained until the intervention is over. From this time any car being driven unnecessarily slowly, and which is deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers, will be reported to the stewards. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit lane.

The safety car will start from the pit lane with its orange lights illuminated and will join the track regardless of where the race leader is. All competing cars must then form up in line behind the safety and stay close together while overtaking is forbidden. Any car in behind the safety car that is in front of the race leader may pass the safety car when it allows so by lighting up its green lights. These cars will continue at reduced speed and without overtaking until they reach the line of cars behind the safety car. The safety car shall be used at least until the leader is behind it and all remaining cars are lined up behind him.

While the safety car is in operation, competing cars may enter the pit lane, but may only rejoin the track when the green light at the end of the pit lane is on. It will be on at all times except when the safety car and the line of cars following it are about to pass or are passing the pit exit . A car rejoining the track must proceed at an appropriate speed until it reaches the end of the line of cars behind the safety car.

When the clerk of the course calls in the safety car, it must extinguish its orange lights. As of that point the first car behind the safety car may dictate the pace. Green flags will be shown at the track as soon as the safety car is returned to the pitlane.

Each lap completed while the safety car is deployed will be counted as a race lap. If the race ends whilst the safety car is deployed it will enter the pit lane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.

In exceptional circumstances the race may be started behind the safety car. In this case, at any time before the one minute signal its orange lights will be turned on. This is the signal to the drivers that the race will be started behind the safety car. As soon as the green lights go on, the race starts and overtaking is only allowed when a car lost places during that start. The driver may then overtake others to regain his starting position.

Previous safety cars in Formula One
Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG (2006-2007)
Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMGEngine: 6208 cc V8
Power: 481 bhp (354 kW) at 6800 rpm
Torque: 630Nm at 5200 rpm
Redline at RPM: 7200
Brakes: ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Tires front-rear: 235/35 R19 - 265/30 R19
Driveline: Rear Wheel Drive
Weight: 1600 kg

Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG (2004-2005)
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMGEngine: 5500 cc V8
Power: 265 kW/360 hp
Torque: 510 Nm
Weight: 1370 kg
Brakes front: 360 x 22 mm composite brake discs with six-piston fixed callipers
Brakes rear: 330 x 26 mm steel brake discs with four-piston brake callipers
(All the discs are internally ventilated and perforated; the front brakes, which have to deal with particularly high stresses, have specially designed cooling ducts)
Tyres front-rear: 235/35 R19 - 265/30 R 19

Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG (2003)
Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMGWeight: 1820 kg
Engine: 5439 cc V8 90°
Power: 367 bhp / 270 KW at 5500 rpm
Torque: 510 Nm / 376 ft lbs at 3000 rpm
Valvetrain: 3 valves / cylinder, SOHC
Gearbox: 5 speed Automatic
Accelleration: 0-100 km/h in 5.3s


Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG (2001-2002)
Weight: 1834 kg
Engine: 5439 cc V8
Power: 493.00 hp (362.8 kW) at 6100.00 rpm







Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG (2000)
Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG Engine: V8
Power: 265 kW
Accelleration: 0-100km/h in 6s
Brakes: 8-piston fixed calliper disc brakes and 380 mm brake discs at the front and 315 mm discs at the rear
Tyres front-rear: 255/40 R19 - 285/35 R19