JAMES ROBERTS
“Ex-british F3 man is medical car driver in F1”
It was just a Sunday morning drive with an old friend. The car is a four-litre twin-turbo Mercedes-amg C63S and the man behind the wheel; Alan van der Merwe. The location is the snaking rollercoaster of Tarmac nestled in the urban sprawl of one of South America’s biggest cities.
It’s 0830hrs and already the Sao Paulo sun is baking the Interlagos asphalt. I’m in the back passenger seat of the F1 medical car, helmet on, tightening the shoulder straps of the four-point harness as we rumble down the pitlane.
Ahead of us is Bernd Maylander’s safety car which van der Merwe chases around the 2.67mile lap, brutally unleashing the 550hp under his right foot. The two machines are conducting a test of all the circuit’s electronic equipment, GPS, timing and marshal boards. A final preparation to ensure the track is in perfect working order for the afternoon’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Very quickly, we are dipping, rising, right, left, with the rear end sliding, beautifully controlled by ‘Swerve’ as he tucks the nose into each apex. It’s a rare opportunity to be allowed in the medical car and a joy to watch a professional driver ply his trade.
In the front passenger seat is Dr Ian Roberts and in the boot of the estate, all the kit required for an immediate medical intervention. It’s a heavy car, but driven skilfully – in full chat – it can be the difference between life and death if a driver has been involved in a serious accident on-track.
Van der Merwe has been tasked with driving the medical car at every grand prix since 2009. But it was in 2003 when I first met the genial South African.
I had been working at MN a little over a year when I was tasked with reporting on the British F3 Championship. The capacity field had an impressive roster of talent that season, all youngsters looking to make their mark. VDM, the 2001 Formula Ford Festival winner, impressed, bringing a calm, intellectual approach to his racing and an outright speed that netted him the title. The Carlin driver beat strong opposition that year, that included Will Power, Nelson Piquet Jr and Jamie Green.
Over the next few years, sadly, his career stalled through a lack of finance, but I always felt he deserved to be rewarded for the natural talent he possesses. And while his career didn’t quite follow the route he imagined, at least he is paid to drive cars – quickly – for a living.
Last Sunday morning, it was great to finally watch ‘Swerve’ close-up, beautifully balancing throttle and brake to hustle the Merc around the tight confines of Interlagos. Just the 14 years on from when we first met.