THE MAN IN FRONT
OF THE RACE ! 

Bernd Mayländer (born May 29, 1971 in Schorndorf) is a German racing driver and current 

Formula One safety car driver.

 

Bernd started his career in karting sport at the end of the 1980s. In the following years he made his way to the Formula Ford, the Porsche Carrera Cup and the original DTM. In 1994 he won the Porsche Carrera Cup. In 2000, he won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in a Porsche 911 GT3-R and he was runner-up in Porsche Super Cup. When the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series was resumed in 2000, he was driving for Mercedes-Benz. In 2001 he won for Mercedes-Benz the last DTM season race at the old circuit in Hockenheim.

 

Mayländer is the safety car driver for all Formula One races including GP2 and GP3 and Porsche Super Cup. He has driven the Formula One safety car since 2000, except for the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix, when he was injured . One of the most spectaculars race was the 2011 F1 Canadian Grand Prix he led 34 laps (46,9%) while race winner Jenson Button led only half a lap, the last half of the last lap.

In May 2005, he was one of six Mercedes-Benz drivers taking part in a record drive. Three stock E320 CDI cars drove 100,000 miles in 30 days around the clock, which resulted in an

average speed of 139.7 mph (224.8 km/h).

 

Since to 2005 he is also involved in the DTM as Mercedes-Benz ambassador.