In this episode of the podcast series "Alte Schule - Die goldene Ära des Automobils", presenter Carsten Arndt welcomes a guest who fits in perfectly with the anticipation of the new Formula 1 season: Bernd Mayländer. Mayländer is a man of the "old school", but is still active in motorsport today - and in a unique profession. For over 25 years, he has been leading the field as the official Formula 1 safety car driver whenever a race has to be neutralized. No one else has held this special role for so long, and accordingly there are many stories and experiences that he can share with presenter Carsten.
The episode revolves around Mayländer's extraordinary career from motorsport enthusiast teenager to Formula 1 safety car driver. Right at the beginning, the presenter jokingly wonders how one gets such a "cool job" in the first place - after all, Mayländer is considered by some racing drivers to be "always much too slow" when he drives ahead in the safety car. In this interview, Bernd Mayländer talks in detail about how he became a racing driver, the milestones and highlights that shaped his career and how he finally took on responsibility in the safety car. He provides insights into his day-to-day work at Grand Prix weekends, explains the changes over the years and talks about formative encounters - for example with Formula 1 legends such as Charlie Whiting or Norbert Haug.
In addition to the professional stations, personal anecdotes and the private side are not neglected. Mayländer talks about how his passion for cars was awakened at an early age, how his family has influenced him and how he now manages the balance between the intense traveling life of Formula 1 and family life at home. All of this is presented informatively and with a twinkle in his eye, giving listeners a vivid impression of Bernd Mayländer's life on and off the racetrack. The core topics and insights of the episode are summarized below.
Key takeaways
Unique career in the safety car: Bernd Mayländer has held a globally unique position as the driver of the Formula 1 safety car for a quarter of a century. In the podcast episode, he explains how he came to this special job and what fascinates him about it. It becomes clear that Mayländer has long been an institution in the premier class of motorsport and how much he appreciates this responsible task.
Early passion and Nordschleife experience: Mayländer's love of motorsport was sparked at a young age. Growing up in a family from the beverage industry, he initially completed a commercial apprenticeship, but discovered his talent and enthusiasm for fast cars on the kart track and the Nürburgring-Nordschleife at the same time. He drove his first laps on the legendary Nordschleife with caution - "really slow, windows open, cool music" - which laid the foundation for his understanding of vehicle control.
The first car of his own and the influence of his family: Mayländer's parents and grandparents awakened his interest in beautiful cars at an early age. His first car, a red BMW 320i with a black interior, was a special memento of his late mother - and it was in this car that he collected his first kilometers on the racetrack. He cautiously approached the limit, always aware that "I have to drive home again in the evening", and so initially avoided risks, which helped him to become a safe driver.
The unusual path to becoming a racing driver: Unlike many professional drivers, Bernd Mayländer did not start out in the classic formula junior ladder, but rather cross-country. Although he briefly tried his hand in the formula class, a spectacular rollover in a junior race - in which his father witnessed the car catch fire - led to an important insight. His father then said: "My son needs a roof over his head." From then on, Mayländer preferred to concentrate on touring cars and sports cars, where he felt more comfortable and the results were not long in coming.
Breakthrough in the Porsche Cup and opportunity in the DTM: Mayländer celebrated his first successes in the Porsche Carrera Cup in the early 1990s and was even named "Driver of the Year" in 1994. These achievements did not go unnoticed: Mercedes Head of Motorsport Norbert Haug knocked on his door after the DTM finale in Hockenheim and said: "Hey Bernd, we're looking for a driver next year - you're a candidate, prepare yourself." This vote of confidence paved the way for Mayländer into a Mercedes DTM cockpit and thus into professional motorsport at the highest level.
Successes and highlights as a racing driver: Bernd Mayländer can look back on a number of highlights in his active racing career. For example, he achieved a prestigious victory in the DTM, which was all the more significant for him because he had previously had to cope with a setback. He proudly recounts how even Formula 1 stars congratulated him - the first person to congratulate him was none other than Michael Schumacher. Mayländer also took part in famous endurance races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he drove in a team with legends such as Bob Wollek and gained valuable experience.
From the race cockpit to the safety car: A key turning point was the switch from active racing driver to permanent safety car driver in Formula 1. Mayländer describes how he received a surprise call from race director Charlie Whiting at the end of the 1990s. The previous safety car driver was unable to continue in the job and Whiting was looking for "a driver... who could drive the safety car." Mayländer, whose close relationship with Mercedes-AMG was well known, stepped up - initially in parallel with his own racing commitments - and took on this role permanently from 2000.
Duties and responsibilities in the safety car: The podcast gives an insight into how a Grand Prix weekend unfolds from the perspective of the safety car driver. Mayländer reports on track inspections, test drives and briefings on Thursday to familiarize himself with the race track and check the systems - from the vehicle to the radio communication. In the race itself, he has to be ready at the push of a button to lead the field in the event of accidents or bad weather. He works closely with race control, is in contact by radio and makes sure that the pace and timing are just right to ensure safety and fairness for all drivers.
Long-standing partnership with Mercedes-AMG: A common thread throughout Mayländer's career is his close relationship with Mercedes-Benz. He was already driving Mercedes in his DTM days and is still active as an AMG brand ambassador today. Together with fellow racing driver Bernd Schneider, he is one of the longest-serving faces of the brand. Fittingly, Mayländer still sits in a Mercedes-AMG when he drives the safety car (even if an Aston Martin is now used alternately in some races).
Changes over the years: Mayländer reflects on how much his job has changed over the decades. When he started out, the racing calendar only included around 16 Grands Prix per year - today it is 23 to 24, which means a significant increase in travel. In total, he spends around 160 days a year on the road for Formula 1, and including other dates such as AMG events, he spends around 250 days away from home. The safety cars themselves have also evolved: With increasingly powerful models (currently the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series and the Aston Martin Vantage, for example), he is "never slower" on the road than he was last year, as Mayländer notes with a grin.
Passion, team spirit and family: Despite the intense workload, Bernd Mayländer makes it clear that his passion for motorsport is unwavering. He describes the Formula 1 paddock and his team as a "family" - he finds working with colleagues around the world enriching and looks forward to each new season. At the same time, he talks about the support of his own family at home: his wife and young children understand that "dad loves what he does", even if it means spending a lot of time on the road. The episode shows that Mayländer is passionate about what he does and balances his extraordinary professional life with his private life.
Detailed main topics
History and first steps in motorsport
Bernd Mayländer grew up in Baden-Württemberg and, despite family roots in the beverage industry, came into contact with cars at an early age. After leaving school, he initially trained as an industrial clerk at Coca-Cola in Stuttgart, but his real passion was motorsport. He was already driving karts as a teenager and spent every free minute he had with fast cars. On his 18th birthday, he could hardly wait to finally drive legally - and resorted to a creative solution: because his father was not there in the morning, the newly adult drove 18 kilometers "black" by car to the office to pick up his driving license in person. As soon as he had his license in his hands, the young Mayländer was off to the racetrack: just a few days after his 18th birthday, he traveled to the Nürburgring with friends, bought an annual ticket for the Nordschleife and drove his first laps there in his own car.
His first vehicle - a red BMW 320i that he had inherited from his mother - became Bernd Mayländer's learning tool on the "Green Hell". He approached the demanding track with great caution and respect. "I taught myself really slowly because I knew I had to drive home again in the evening," he recalls. Initially, he drove at a leisurely pace with the windows down and the music loud, instead of chasing lap records. This cautious approach paid off: Mayländer remained accident-free and gradually built up enormous track knowledge. Every lap on the Nordschleife - whether alone or with friends, whom he took with him as "cab" passengers - cemented his dream of perhaps one day racing professionally.
From amateur driver to racing professional
The path from amateur driver to professional racing driver was anything but straightforward for Mayländer. Unlike many of his competitors, he did not go through a strict junior formula class, but initially looked for opportunities to get a taste of racing. At the beginning of the 1990s, he tried his luck in a junior formula series at the Hockenheimring - but this chapter ended abruptly: in his very first race, his Monoposto overturned in the infamous Sachs curve and caught fire. Fortunately, Mayländer was uninjured, but the experience left its mark. His father, who had to witness the accident, reacted with relief but determination: "My son needs a roof over his head," he is reported to have said after the shock. For the young Bernd, it was clear that open-top racing cars were perhaps not his preferred profession.
Instead of a formula career, Mayländer focused on touring cars and sports car racing from then on - a terrain that suited him better. His safe driving style and the experience of countless Nordschleife kilometers paid off when he got his first opportunities in the German motorsport scene. An early milestone was his participation in a one-make cup race for Porsche: Max Welti, then Head of Porsche Motorsport, invited him to drive a Porsche 968 CS in a Clubsport race at the Nürburgring - Mayländer's first small stint as a works driver. This race in the Clubsport version of the Porsche 968, in which he even drove in a team with touring car professional Thomas Winkelhock, proved to be a valuable calling card: Mayländer continued to draw attention to himself with a strong performance. This was soon followed by regular starts in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, where he was able to hold his own against strong competition and demonstrate further racing talent.
Success in the Porsche Cup and promotion to the DTM
Bernd Mayländer quickly made a name for himself on the national Porsche racing scene. in 1994, he crowned his season in the Porsche Carrera Cup with the "Driver of the Year" award, which impressively underlined his abilities. These successes did not go unnoticed by the major players in motorsport. Mercedes-Benz in particular took notice of the ambitious Swabian, as Mayländer came from Schorndorf - the birthplace of Gottlieb Daimler - and had an early connection to the brand. After the last DTM race of the 1994 season in Hockenheim, Mayländer was visited by none other than Mercedes Head of Motorsport Norbert Haug. Haug congratulated him on his achievements and held out the prospect of a cockpit becoming available at Mercedes. "Hey Bernd, we're looking for a driver next year - you're a candidate, prepare yourself," Haug told him at the time. This was a dream come true for Mayländer: in 1995, he was given a seat in the Mercedes team in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM).
Entering the DTM was a huge leap for the young driver. Suddenly, he found himself in the works-supported Persson Motorsport team and competing against the elite of the touring car scene. The DTM, which became the international ITC in the mid-1990s, was technically highly equipped and professional - "a huge step" in Mayländer's career, as he recalls looking back. Initially, he had to assert himself in a previous year's model and prevail against experienced works drivers. Despite these challenges, Mayländer managed to establish himself and gain valuable experience on the Grand Prix circuits of Europe and beyond. When the DTM/ITC was discontinued for the time being at the end of 1996, he had earned a reputation as a solid and fast driver who was always considered for higher tasks.
Long-distance racing and Le Mans adventures
After the temporary end of the DTM, Mayländer turned increasingly to sports car and endurance racing. Mercedes continued to be his partner - he competed in the FIA GT Championship and endurance classics in the late 1990s. A particular highlight of his career was his first participation in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mayländer had signaled internally at Mercedes that he would like to get to know the French Sarthe circuit and was given the chance to race there in 1999. He shared the cockpit of a Porsche 911 GT racing car with two well-known team-mates: the young Porsche junior Dirk Müller and endurance racing icon Bob Wollek. For Mayländer, who until then had mainly been familiar with sprint races, the debut at Le Mans was a lesson in endurance and strategic driving. "It was extremely important for me... it was the first time at Le Mans... the Le Mans learning effect is definitely there," he says, looking back on the significance of this outing for his driver development. At night and on the ultra-fast straights of Le Mans, he got used to keeping an eye on the rear-view mirrors, as he was constantly being lapped by faster prototypes in the relatively slow GT car. Nevertheless, the team kept up well and fought a neck-and-neck race with the sister car. Although it was not enough for a class victory in the end, Mayländer gained invaluable experience and was able to learn from a veteran like Bob Wollek - a "headstrong Frenchman with huge experience", as he respectfully characterized him. Two years later, Wollek passed away unexpectedly, giving the Le Mans adventure additional emotional significance in retrospect.
The road to the Formula 1 safety car
While Bernd Mayländer was making a name for himself as a versatile racing driver, a completely new opportunity presented itself at the end of the 1990s. Formula 1, in which he had previously been present as a driver in support races (such as the Porsche Supercup), came knocking - albeit with an unusual offer. The long-serving Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting was looking for a suitable driver for the official safety car of the premier class. The previous driver, Briton Oliver Gavin, was no longer available, so a replacement was needed at short notice. Mayländer, a promising candidate thanks to his Mercedes experience and reputation, was quoted in Whiting's office. "Charlie called me at the time... and then came the offer: We're looking at a driver who can drive the safety car," Mayländer recalls of the key moment that was to change his career. In fact, the FIA assigned him the task of driving the safety car at the Grands Prix from the 2000 season onwards - initially on a trial basis at individual races and soon after as a permanent position.
In the first few years, Mayländer was still racing in parallel as an active racing driver and was allowed to prioritize important races of his own. Charlie Whiting knew that Mayländer's "racing was a priority" and gave him the freedom to take part in classics such as Le Mans. But as early as the beginning of the 2000s, safety car duty became Mayländer's main job. From then on, he traveled to every Grand Prix and was always ready to lead the field in an emergency. He did not see it as a disadvantage that he was no longer competing for victories, but rather guaranteeing safety - on the contrary: the prestigious job as a safety driver opened up a whole new career in motorsport for him.
Everyday life and responsibility as a safety car driver
Bernd Mayländer provides detailed insights into his day-to-day work in Formula 1 in the podcast. Each Grand Prix week usually begins for him on Wednesday with the journey, often halfway around the world. On Thursday, an extensive track walk with the race directors is on the agenda: together with the race director, he walks the entire track and inspects any changes or special features - from newly asphalted corners to the kerbs. Mayländer then completes a fixed item on the program that many fans are not even aware of: the safety car test. "I have an official track test from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., where I get to torment the safety car around the racetrack for an hour," he says with a grin. In this private training session, he drives numerous laps together with the medical emergency vehicle in order to "get to know the track again" and collect data. Everything is checked - for example, whether the lap times are on target, the radio connections are working and the helicopter can fly around the track as planned. Mayländer explains that these tests are important for everyone involved: This allows camera crews, track marshals and even himself to prepare optimally for the upcoming race weekend.
If an accident, bad weather or other hazards then occur during the race, Mayländer's big moment arrives. On the orders of race control, he moves out in the silver Mercedes-AMG safety car and takes over the lead of the field until the track can be reopened. In these tricky phases, he bears great responsibility: he has to maintain an appropriately high speed so that the race cars keep their tire temperature, but also must not be too fast so as not to endanger safety. He is in constant contact with race control via radio - in the days of Charlie Whiting, he had his right-hand man Herbie Blash and Charlie himself "always on his ear". Mayländer reports debris or weather changes to Race Control and receives instructions in return, for example if the pace needs to be adjusted. "You never will win a race, just do your job as good as possible," Charlie Whiting gave him as a motto - Mayländer will never stand on the podium, but he does a crucial job in the background. This philosophy still shapes his actions today: he tries to make the race as safe and as inconspicuous as possible.
Motorsport as a way of life: team spirit and family
A quarter of a century in the service of safety - and no end in sight. Even after so many years, Bernd Mayländer is still as enthusiastic as ever. He emphasizes that his job is far more than just a bread-and-butter occupation for him: over the years, the Formula 1 paddock has become a second home. "It's not just a job... it's a family," he says of the close-knit team of engineers, mechanics, officials and fellow drivers with whom he travels around the world. At the same time, he admits that the task is exhausting: today, the racing calendar includes almost two dozen Grands Prix on four continents. "How many days a year are you on the road?" the presenter asks - Mayländer is on the road around 160 days a year for Formula 1 alone, he calculates. If you add PR appointments and his work as a Mercedes-AMG brand ambassador (such as driving events on ice and other events), the absence adds up to around 250 days a year.
The flip side of the glamorous life in the fast lane is an enormous amount of traveling and time away from home. But Mayländer gets a lot of support from his family. "My wife knows that, my two children understand... dad loves what he does," he says. His two primary school-age children know no other way than for their father to jet around the world to make racing safer. Of course, even with a dream job like his, there are moments when you think about the stresses and strains. But so far, Mayländer's passion has prevailed: as long as "extraordinary things" happen and he is driven by the fascination of motorsport, he will continue. With each new year, there are new cars, new challenges and new stories - and Bernd Mayländer is determined to keep his unique role in Formula 1 alive for as long as possible.
Conclusion
The podcast episode with Bernd Mayländer provides exciting insights into a motorsport career away from the usual. As a safety car driver in Formula 1 for many years, Mayländer has accumulated a unique wealth of experience, which he shares openly with listeners. In conversation with Carsten Arndt, it becomes clear how consistently he has followed his passion - from his first cautious laps on the Nordschleife to his responsible job at the front of the Formula 1 field. The most important findings can be summarized as follows: Passion and perseverance can lead to unusual career paths, and behind the scenes of racing there are personalities like Mayländer who contribute to the success of every event with dedication and skill.
For the listener, this episode offers not only entertaining anecdotes, but also instructive background information. You learn how much preparation and professionalism is behind the supposedly simple job of safety car driver - from pre-tests and track inspections to close coordination with race control. Mayländer's stories also show how much motorsport has changed in recent decades: From the "golden era" of the DTM in the 90s to risky adventures at Le Mans and the highly optimized world of modern Formula 1. Precisely because he knows both the old school and the new generation, Mayländer builds a bridge between past and present. His memories of greats such as Charlie Whiting and Norbert Haug illustrate how important personal mentors and networks can be in motorsport.
At the end, the impression remains that we have met a down-to-earth and enthusiastic motorsport enthusiast who pursues his dream job with humility and joy. Bernd Mayländer credibly conveys that racing is not just about fame and victories, but also about teamwork, responsibility and passion. This authenticity and the wealth of experiences make the podcast episode an enriching experience - for die-hard motorsport fans as well as those curious to take a look behind the scenes of Formula 1. After around one and a half hours of "Old School" with Bernd Mayländer, you not only take away fascinating stories, but also the feeling of having met one of the silent heroes of Formula 1 in person.