The world is under the spell of the coronavirus and normal life largely comes to a standstill. Similarly, Formula 1, which has to wait for the season opener for the time being. Now it is just looking back. Over the years, for example, quite a few special Safety Cars have been used. We pick out some of them.
We will skip the entire series of Mercedes cars that have been used as a Safety Car for this time. Mercedes has been supplying AMG versions of various models as a Safety Car since 1996. Today it is the Mercedes-AMG GT R, previously top versions of models like the SLS, CLK, CL, SL, C and even the SLK were used as a Safety Car. Before that, fast cars such as the Porsche 911 GT2 and Lamborghini Diablo VT were used (one-off). However, the most striking Safety Cars in the history of Formula 1 can be found largely further in the past of the sport.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was of course not a crazy choice as a Safety Car, in the early 90s. With its 226 hp 2.0-liter turbo engine, four-wheel drive and a top speed of 240 km / h, the Escort RS Cosworth applied in many areas such as one of the fastest all-rounders of that time. With this car, Formula 1 started experimenting with the Safety Car phenomenon in 1993. Before that it had been a very sporadic and completely irregular recurring story, but the FIA ​​wanted to try with the Escort if it could add something.
Renault Clio Williams
In 1996 the Safety Car had already become a standard in Formula 1. However, at that time there was not really chosen for a fixed car that could act as a Safety Car at all Grands Prix. In 1996, the Renault Clio Williams was used in a large part of the races, but not exclusively. The first Mercedes in a long series, the C63 AMG at the time, also took care of a large part of the races. It was clearly a bit more suitable for its task, although the small and light tear sample from France with its 147 hp and top speed of 215 km / h was no slouch. For its time, admittedly.
Honda Prelude
Now things are getting a bit weirder. The Honda Prelude has acted exactly once as a Safety Car. During the Grand Prix of Japan, in his home country, the Prelude was allowed to work. That year, the GP ran under soaking wet conditions, so the Prelude was sent off the field for part of the race after several accidents to keep the pace low. Apart from old action footage from the race, the Prelude is also a big mystery. Logically it was the 200 hp VTEC that was available in Japan at the time.
Opel Vectra
Yes, you read that right. A first generation Opel Vectra once drove for Formula 1 cars. In 1994, that is. In the dramatic weekend at Imola, where first Roland Ratzenberger and a day later three-time world champion Ayrton Senna were killed, the local organization deployed a Vectra as a Safety Car. At that time there were no established requirements for the cars and apparently a Vectra was considered sufficient. The Vectra led the field for a long time in the race, because it had already gone wrong on the starting grid right from the start. Ayrton Senna drove behind the Safety Car, who crashed a few laps after the Vectra disappeared and died as a result.
Fiat Tempra
Crazier than an Opel Vectra? That depends on whether or not you find the Fiat Tempra suitable as a Safety Car. During the race weekend in Brazil in 1993, a Fiat Tempra 16v (the 2.0-liter) served the Safety Car. The Tempra actually came into action, when several crashes occurred after heavy rainfall, the car was sent off the track. At the end of the race, there was a special moment where the Tempra was fully in the spotlight, race winner Ayrton Senna was driven through the pit lane in the Tempra. Senna partly hung out of the car to greet his home crowd. The Tempra in question has disappeared from the picture afterwards, but a dedicated fan worked on it tracked down the car. He is now completely neat and dressed as a Safety Car again.
Tatras 613
The latter car needs an important comment. The Tatra 613 was formally never worked as a Safety Car in a race weekend, but was the car that came into action as a Medical Car during the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix. In any case, this very late Czechoslovak car with the air-cooled V8 in the back was already a special feature in itself, but during the race at the Hungaroring that year, the car was the center of attention for a moment. When driver Taki Inoue had to be picked up from his burning car, he was hit by the Tatras. One of the most bizarre incidents from F1.