There have been relatively few Safety Car periods so far in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Here’s a list of every time that the Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car have made an appearance so far this year!
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Lap 6, Safety Car
The first Safety Car period of the year was at the second race of 2024 – the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. After tapping the wall, Lance Stroll crashed out in the opening stages. Stroll’s crash led to the Safety Car being deployed on Lap 6, leading to almost the whole field pitting for fresh tyres.
The Safety Car was out for three laps in total, with racing resuming at the start of Lap 10. This was the first time that the new Aston Martin Vantage was used as the F1 Safety Car.
2024 Australian Grand Prix, Lap 17, VSC
There were no full Safety Car periods in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix but there were two Virtual Safety Car stints. The first lasted for just under two laps and came as a result of Lewis Hamilton stopping trackside with an engine failure.
2024 Australian Grand Prix, Lap 58, VSC
Both Virtual Safety Car periods in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix were caused by Mercedes drivers. A crash at Turn 6 on the final lap left George Russell’s car stranded on its side in the middle of the track. The race ended under VSC conditions as a result. It was the first time in F1 history that a Grand Prix finished under a VSC.
2024 Japanese Grand Prix, Lap 2, Safety Car
When Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon collided on Lap 1 of the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, there was an immediate red flag instead of any Safety Car call outs. After the red flag period, the formation lap back to the grid was completed under Safety Car conditions.
2024 Chinese Grand Prix, Lap 22, VSC > Safety Car
Valtteri Bottas had reached Q3 in his Sauber on Saturday at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix but had a Sunday to forget as his car ground to a halt with an engine failure at Turn 11. The race was put under Virtual Safety Car conditions on Lap 22 to allow marshals to remove the stricken car from the circuit.
The Sauber, however, was stuck in gear and proving difficult to move. The Safety Car was subsequently called out on Lap 23 and lasted three laps, ending at the end of Lap 26.
2024 Chinese Grand Prix, Lap 27, Safety Car
Just as the Safety Car returned to the pit lane, it was required once again. A collision between Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo left debris at the hairpin but it was contact between Kevin Magnussen and Yuki Tsunoda – which left Tsunoda stopped at side of the circuit – which led to the second Safety Car outing of the afternoon. The Safety Car came in at the end of Lap 31.
2024 Miami Sprint, Lap 1, Safety Car
Lando Norris was out on the first lap of the Saturday Sprint race at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. The McLaren driver was out following contact with Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. It led to a Safety Car period, which lasted three laps.
2024 Miami Grand Prix, Lap 23, VSC
When out at the front of the field, Max Verstappen struck a bollard on Lap 23 of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. After being lodged under his front wing, the bollard was deposited at Turn 16. The VSC was called briefly while the bollard was removed from the circuit.
2024 Miami Grand Prix, Lap 29, Safety Car
A handful of laps after the VSC deployment, Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant collided, causing the Williams driver to hit the wall and retire from the race. Magnussen was able to continue but received a time penalty for the collision and had to pit for repairs. The Safety Car was called while Sargeant’s car was cleared away. The timing of the Safety Car was a major factor in aiding Lando Norris to his maiden Grand Prix win.
2024 Monaco Grand Prix, Lap 2, Safety Car
Following a red flag period on the opening lap of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix – the result of a collision between Sergio Perez and the two Haas drivers – the second formation lap was completed under Safety Car conditions.
2024 Canadian Grand Prix, Lap 25, Safety Car
In damp conditions, Logan Sargeant crashed into the wall on Lap 25 of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, leading to the deployment of the Safety Car. The Safety Car period lasted for five laps.
2024 Canadian Grand Prix, Lap 54, Safety Car
Just as the leaders had started Lap 54 of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, the Safety Car was called for the second time in the race following an incident involving Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. Sainz spun in the slippery conditions, into the path of the Williams driver. Both drivers retired as a result, with the Safety Car period lasting five laps.
2024 Austrian Grand Prix, Lap 66, VSC
Following a collision at Turn 3 between race leaders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in the closing stages of the race, the Virtual Safety Car was briefly called to clear debris from the track.
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lap 50, VSC
A penultimate lap collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz while the duo were battling over the final spot on the podium saw the Virtual Safety Car called out on Lap 50 of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With insufficient time to clear the incident, the race finished under VSC conditions. It was only the second F1 race – after the 2024 Australian Grand Prix – to do so.
2024 United States Grand Prix, Lap 2, Safety Car
Lewis Hamilton uncharacteristically spun out on the second lap of the 2024 United States Grand Prix, with his race ending in the gravel trap. This was the first time Hamilton failed to reach the finish line at COTA. Hamilton’s spin prompted a Safety Car period which lasted three laps, ending at the end of Lap 5.
This was the first Safety Car outing since the Canadian Grand Prix, ending a streak of nine races without a full Safety Car period. It was the longest such streak in 20 years, since the nine-race Safety Car-less streak between the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix and the 2004 Spanish Grand Prix. There has not been a longer streak of races without a Safety Car deployment since the 1990s.
2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, Lap 1, Safety Car
For the first time since the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the Safety Car was deployed on the opening lap of a Grand Prix at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix. Yuki Tsunoda crashed out at Turn 1 following contact with Alex Albon. The incident eliminated both drivers from the race, with Albon parking up his Williams around the next corner.
The Safety Car period lasted six laps in total, with racing resuming at the start of Lap 7. It was the longest Safety Car period of the season to date.
2024 Sao Paulo Sprint, Lap 22, VSC
Nico Hulkenberg was the only retiree from the Sprint race at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He stopped on track with a smoking car due to a mechanical failure. His stoppage led to the VSC being utilised for the final three laps of the race – with green flag conditions resuming on the final lap.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 28, VSC
The Virtual Safety Car was deployed on Lap 28 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix when Nico Hulkenberg ran off track, spinning in the rain and getting stuck in the run off area. The Haas driver would later be disqualified from the race for receiving assistance from the marshals in getting his car back on track.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 31, Safety Car
With the weather conditions deteriorating, the Safety Car was called out on Lap 31 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Safety Car remained out until Lap 32, when the red flag was shown as the result of a crash for Williams’ Franco Colapinto
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 33, Safety Car
Franco Colapinto’s crash in the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix led to an immediate red flag. At the end of the red flag period, the Safety Car led the drivers around to complete a single lap under Safety Car conditions before the race resumed with a rolling start.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 39, Safety Car
Carlos Sainz crashed out on Lap 39 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Safety Car was called out as a result of the Ferrari driver’s crash, with racing action resuming on Lap 43.
