Aston Martin F1 Safety Car from Controversial 2021 Race Heads to Auction
An Aston Martin Vantage, previously utilized as the Formula 1 safety car during the contentious 2021 season, is now available for purchase with an asking price of £599,990 via Auto Trader.1
Safety Car History
The 4-liter, V8-powered coupe was driven by Bernd Mayländer, the official F1 safety car driver, in 34 races between 2021 and 2023.1 The advertisement highlights that two of the three safety cars used during that period are now being offered for sale by the Silverstone-based outfit, and both have been signed by two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin F1 teammate, Lance Stroll.
The car, identified as ‘SC02’ with VIN N00045, played a role in 20 Grand Prix events between 2021 and 2023, accumulating 4280km across track tests and race deployments for Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, and other support series.1
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
SC02 was notably used during the highly debated 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A late-race crash involving Nicholas Latifi prompted the safety car’s deployment.1
Initially, it appeared the race would conclude under safety car conditions, potentially awarding the championship title to Lewis Hamilton. However, then-race director Michael Masi instructed only the lapped cars between Hamilton and Max Verstappen to unlap themselves, allowing for a final lap of racing.1 Verstappen, on fresher tires, capitalized on the opportunity to overtake Hamilton and secure his first World Championship. This decision remains a subject of ongoing discussion.
Aston Martin and Mercedes Safety Car Roles
Aston Martin concluded its contract as the official supplier of F1 safety and medical cars after the 2025 season.1 Mercedes will continue as the exclusive provider of these vehicles for the championship, utilizing the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series as the safety car and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ as the medical car.
“Having amplified the brand’s return to F1, we are grateful for the association and success of holding this critical role on the grid for the past five years,” Aston Martin stated.1
Christoph Sagemüller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, emphasized the importance of safety: “Safety is an absolutely central value of our brand and our products. That is why we have been providing the Official FIA F1 Safety and Medical Car in Formula 1 since 1996. From the 2026 season onwards, the FIA F1 Official Cars will once again bear the star at all F1 events. In this way, we will continue to produce an active contribution to safety in the premier class of motorsport.”1