
Bernd Maylander: 500 races in the Safety Car
From F1 Beyond The Grid by Formula 1
April 14, 2026 · 55 min
About this episode
Bernd Maylander reflects on his 500 races as the FIA Safety Car Driver and shares insights into his role and experiences in Formula 1.
At this year’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Bernd Maylander reached a remarkable milestone of 500 races as the FIA Safety Car Driver. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Bernd reflects on how the Safety Car and his job have evolved since his first race back in 2000 and some of the most iconic races he’s been involved in over the last 25 years. He talks through what a Grand Prix weekend looks like for him, the role his co-driver Richard Darker plays and some of the challenges they face – like picking up the leader when the Safety Car is deployed and judging wet conditions. Bernd also reveals what it feels like to have the fastest drivers on the planet right behind him and how he handles them complaining about his speed. This episode is sponsored by: Liquid I.V. - go to liquidiv.com and get 20% off your first purchase with code GRID at checkout Saily - get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code grid at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/grid
People in this episode
Host: Tom Clarkson
Guest: Bernd Maylander
Topics covered
- Safety Car
- F1 history
- Grand Prix weekend
- Bernd Maylander
- racing challenges
- driver interactions
Keywords
- Safety Car
- Bernd Maylander
- F1
- racing
- Grand Prix
- Tom Clarkson
- 500 races
- challenges
- driver speed
Sponsors
Liquid I.V., Saily
More episodes of F1 Beyond The Grid
- Alex Albon: on the cusp of history with Williams · June 9, 2026 · 40 min
- LEGENDS: Jean Alesi’s one and only win · June 2, 2026 · 46 min
- Mattia Binotto: ‘Audi are serious’ about F1 success · May 26, 2026 · 42 min
- LEGENDS: David Coulthard on finding the best seat in F1 · May 19, 2026 · 51 min
- LEGENDS: Jenson Button’s first F1 win · May 12, 2026 · 33 min
- LEGENDS: When Emerson Fittipaldi shocked Formula 1 · May 5, 2026 · 50 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast page.