When the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship commences this weekend, and before Daniel Ricciardo can do battle with Lewis Hamilton, the brand of choice for the defending Driver’s Champion will continue another legacy with the launch of two, all-new safety cars. Throughout the 20 race season, both the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GT S and C 63 S will hold special duties as safety and medical car respectively – continuing a tradition started almost 20 years prior.
Starting with the 1996 W202 C36 AMG, Mercedes-Benz has featured 16 models as safety and medical vehicles for the prestigious racing series with the GT S and C 63 S acting as numbers 17 and 18. In order to become such vehicles, the already high-performance Mercs had to be modified to meet standards for the jobs at hand – but this time around the modifications are essentially cosmetic.
As official safety car, the 2015 GT S, one of the most advanced Mercedes-Benz ever built and the second independently developed AMG vehicle, features various FIA and F1 livery and an advanced signaling light bar. Installed with a carbon fiber air scoop to reduce air resistance, the GT S has the ability to unleash a horde of angry F1 cars with the flick of a switch, changing the light bar from orange to green. Inside, an interior communication system using iPads and an InCar Hotspot with WLAN will allow radio communicator Peter Tibbetts to get instant updates from FIA coordinators. Tibbetts will also use a suite of FIA-specific systems such as a transponder system for timing, a GPS and telemetry display, and a “Marshalling System” which indicate the flag signals for specific sections of the circuit. To keep both Tibbetts and safety car driver, Bernd Mayländer, in place, racing seats with six-point harnesses were also installed.
Unchanged in regards to drivetrain, the 2015 GT S, despite being positioned to attack the Porsche 911, is a worthy replacement in regards to performance for the previous safety car, the SLS AMG. The 510 horsepower capable 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 can catapult the lightweight GT S to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and reach speeds within single digits of the 200 mph mark. Fitted with a modified exhaust system compared to factory, the safety car will surly give F1 fans a pleasant earful as most AMG V8s do.
Serving duty as F1’s official medical car is one of the most robust station wagons ever produced – the Mercedes-Benz C 63 S Estate. More than just a promotion, the Merc, as with year’s past, will actually provide medical service for the series and will be crewed by up to three medics at each race. The doctors are specially picked from area hospitals and work with FIA head physician, Dr Ian Roberts. The same radio system as the GT S is fitted inside while four AMG bucket seats with six-point harnesses replace the consumer pieces. The wagon’s AMG AIR RIDE CONTROL suspension has been modified for the extra weight of the occupants and the safety equipment such as a defibrillator and respirator. Featuring the same 510 hp twin turbo V8 as the GT S, the larger C 63 S is still a potent performer with 62 mph achievable from a standstill in 4.1 seconds, all assisted by AMG’s SPEEDSHIFT seven-speed automatic.
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