He is the very epitome of safety in what is arguably one of the world's most controlled and yet one of the riskiest motorsport events.
Yet, or rather possibly that is why, he sat petrified by the chaos on Delhi’s roads while heading into the city after landing at the airport.
Meet Bernd Maylander, the F1 safety car driver for over a decade, who has come into town for the second edition of the Indian Grand Prix.
His could be a voice that is lost in the multitude of others, both Indian and expat, that express alarm at the madness on Indian roads. But his is different and must be one that all of us should listen to.
For a sport that is heavily regulated and where safety is paramount, Formula One is still fraught with dangers and it is Bernd’s job to drive the safety car within limits so that the race progresses smoothly if an untoward incident were to occur.
Riskier on road
He says that to drive on the road is often riskier, because the number of variables are too many. And on Indian roads, it just gets that much more unsafe.
For example, he quotes, that during his 45-minute taxi ride from the airport to the city hotel at 4 a.m., he saw cars over-speeding, ‘tuk-tuks’ driving on the wrong side of the road, and drivers changing lanes without any warning.
Bernd drives at speeds (often 240 kmph) that would be considered on the edge of sanity by many of us. But he is doing it on the race track and while driving the Mercedes-Benz SLS GT AMG one of the most dynamic and capable safety cars ever.
Bernd is a former successful touring car racer, but since 2000 has been entrusted by the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) to steer the safety car.
Bernd feels that the overcrowded and unregulated situation on Indian roads is not 10 steps backward, but a thousand regressive steps.
Safety is non-existent and whole families could get wiped out due to negligent driving, he says. The number of fatalities due to road accidents runs into the millions worldwide and will just keep rising alarmingly in India too, Bernd pointed out. Drive safe, don’t take unnecessary risks and to be a better driver go to a good driving school, Bernd says.
Along with Bernd, the FIA is attempting to use the 2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix to communicate the need for increased road safety. Called the FIA Action for Road Safety, it urges drivers to follow a ten-point safety pledge.