Mercedes-AMG will use the most powerful official F1 Safety Car of all time this season: the 430 kW (585 hp) AMG GT R will debut this weekend in Melbourne.

The top-of-the-line model of the AMG GT series will ensure maximum safety for the F1 field on all 21 race weekends, having supplied the pace car to the series since 1996.

With an output of 430 kW (585 hp) and a top speed of 318 km/h, the AMG GT R is the most powerful and fastest official FIA F1 Safety Car of all time: In this, the 23rd consecutive year, Mercedes-AMG will safely lead the field around the track when bad weather or accidents require its deployment.

The AMG GT R is the ideal official FIA F1 Safety Car, with the driving dynamics of the AMG GT3 racing car, and having spent a large part of its development time in the "Green Hell" of the Nurburgring.

"I am very much looking forward to my new company car," said says Bernd Maylander, the Safety Car's driver. "It is an absolute highlight in terms of driving dynamics and is one level higher up still than the AMG GT S of recent years.

"Of course, ideally the safety car should be deployed as rarely as possible - but when we have to safely bunch up the field and lead it around the track, we will be superbly equipped with the AMG GT R."

Never before has Mercedes-AMG packed so much motorsport technology into a production vehicle as into the AMG GT R. The front-mid-engine concept with transaxle, the powerful 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, the elaborately designed chassis, the sophisticated active aerodynamics and the intelligent lightweight construction lay the foundations for an especially dynamic driving experience.

Wide front and rear wings allow an increased track width for optimum grip and even higher cornering speeds. The front apron with Airpanel active air control system and the active aerodynamics profile in the underbody, the large rear aerofoil and the rear apron with double diffuser increase the aerodynamic efficiency and help ensure optimum grip. The lightweight forged wheels are likewise designed for maximum driving dynamics. The same applies to the active rear-wheel steering, the nine-way adjustable traction control system and the adjustable coil-over suspension with additional electronic control.

As a result, the AMG GT R offers the optimal prerequisites for the job. The requirements profile of the FIA for the Safety Car is demanding. It must be able to maintain a minimum speed level to prevent the tyres and brakes of the F1 cars from excessive cooling and the engines from overheating. With a top speed of 318 km/h and 3.6 seconds for the sprint from zero to 100 km/h, the AMG GT R poses no risk for this to happen.

The Mercedes-AMG GT R clearly has racetrack performance in its genes, as only a small number of modifications were required to transform it into the official Safety Car. The AMG Track Package with roll-over protection system and the ceramic high-performance compound braking system are on board as optional extras. The advantages of the ceramic brakes are a lower weight, a longer service life and even better fade resistance.

While Bernd Maylander focuses on the track and at the same time keeps an eye on the field in the rear-view mirror, co-driver Richard Darker maintains radio contact with race control.

Darker monitors the F1 cars by means of two iPads. The display of the left one shows the international TV broadcast. The right one can feature either an animated display of the current position of the vehicles or show current lap times. Data management for the visual communication solutions is handled by an InCar Hotspot with WLAN wireless network.

"When a Safety Car intervention is required during a Grand Prix it's vitally important that we have full confidence in the car's ability to lead the cars around the track safely," said Charlie Whiting. "That means we need a car which is not only capable of dealing with the extreme demands a Grand Prix circuit puts on a vehicle travelling at high speed, but also one which is capable of setting a pace that allows the F1 drivers to keep tyres and brakes working at the right kind of temperature so that they do not struggle while waiting for racing to resume. With the latest versions of the FIA F1 Medical and Safety Cars, that confidence is once again assured."