car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack
Mercedes-Benz SLK safety car of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters at the Goodwood Festival of Speed In motorsport, a safety car, or a pace car, is a car that limits the speed of competing cars or motorcycles on a racetrack in the case of a caution period, such as an obstruction on the track or bad weather. The safety car aims to enable the clearance of any obstruction under safer conditions, especially for marshals or awaiting more favourable track conditions weather-wise. By following the safety car, the competitors' tyres remain as close as possible to operating temperature while their engines do not overheat. A safety car is also preferred over stopping the race (red flag) and restarting, as the latter takes longer.
During a caution period, the safety car (which is typically an appropriately modified high-performance production car) enters the track ahead of the leader. Depending on the regulations in effect, competitors are not normally allowed to pass the safety car or other competitors during a caution period, and the safety car leads the field at a predetermined safe speed, which may vary by series and circuit. At the end of the caution period, the safety car leaves the track, and the competitors resume normal racing. The first reliance on this safety measure occurred with the deployment of a pace car during the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911.
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