Lewis Hamilton and former F1 champion told they’re the ‘worst for whinging’ behind the Safety Car by Bernd Maylander

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The F1 Safety Car can be an important period for drivers as they must try to maintain temperatures in both the tyres and brakes if the race restarts.

This is why you see drivers weaving behind the Safety Car and accelerating then braking, to ensure that they are ready to race when it turns to green flag conditions.

It is a meticulous process which drivers can get wrong at times, either because they have gone beyond the 10-car length rule or passed another car, which is prohibited.

Red Bull unsuccessfully protested George Russell’s win at Canada because they claimed he drove in an unsportsmanlike manner behind the Safety Car.

Driving the Safety Car is Bernd Maylander, who has been part of the team for the last 30 years. In an interview with The Telegraph, he revealed who he thinks is the biggest whinger.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel worst for whinging says F1 Safety Car driver

Maylander has been the Safety Car driver for all the races since 2000, having led over 1,400 laps in his career.

The 2025 British Grand Prix will be his 492nd F1 race since he made his debut at Melbourne in 2000, but which drivers have been the biggest whingers?

When asked the question, Maylander responded: “Immediately, I would say Sebastian [Vettel] and Lewis [Hamilton]. But I don’t blame them for it.”

Both Hamilton and Vettel were notorious for their team radio messages saying the Safety Car was driving too slowly, with Hamilton once nearly hitting it at Copse corner during the 2016 British GP.

Bernard Maylander reveals craziest moment as Safety Car moment

Maylander has been on the receiving end of some crazy moments, including one last year when the Safety Car suffered a failure and crashed at high speed during a test at Monza over the Italian GP weekend.

But which was the craziest of them all for Maylander? The German says the 2003 track invasion when Cornelius ‘Neil’ Horan, a now defrocked priest, ran down the Hanger Straight while the cars were doing 200mph with a sign that read: “Read the bible. The bible is always right.”

“I didn’t believe Herbie [Blash, FIA deputy race director] when he came on the radio and said there was a guy running on the track,” said Maylander. “But I went out, saw him and then the marshals jumped on him. Absolutely crazy.”

Horan was subsequently charged with aggravated trespass and sentenced to two months imprisonment for the incident.