Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsport, so the pace car has to be something suitably special. For 2010, this role will be fulfilled by none other than Mercedes' latest, greatest and gullwing-ed supercar, the SLS AMG.

The 563bhp SLS takes over F1 pace car duties from the SL 63 AMG, which has performed sterling service for the previous two seasons. Now though, some of the F1 jocks at the back of the field could find themselves mixing it with the pace car thanks to the SLS's 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds.

Lucky Bernd Maylander will be at the wheel of the SLS pace car for every one of the 2010 Formula One races, with the season kicking off on 14 March in Bahrain. Maylander is a former DTM touring car ace and gets to drive the SLS ahead of its official launch on 27 March.

For pace car duties, the SLS is plastered in the expected F1 logos, but it also comes with carbon fibre wing mirrors and a roof light bar just in case the Formula One drivers don't spot the gullwing-door supercar. The aerodynamically designed light bar includes orange flashing lights for when it's on safety car duty, while flashing front and rear lights help the SLS stand out from all the other cars on the track. Just for good measure, the SLS comes with special number plate with 700 LED bulbs so the race drivers can see the pace car even in the worst weather conditions.

The Formula One drivers will have to behave themselves as the SLS pace car has a rear-mounted camera so the supercar's driver can keep a beady eye on what's happening behind. There's also a camera mounted in the light bar on the roof.

Inside, the SLS pace car has a few extras that road car customers will not be able to order. These include a pair of monitors for the roof and rear cameras, controls for the light bar and a radio system so the SLS's driver and passenger can talk to race control. Another camera is trained on Bernd Maylander from the dashboard, which should provide television viewers with some great onboard images.

There's also a second rear view mirror for the passenger and the same Marshalling System of coloured display lights as the drivers have in their F1 cars. This is so the SLS's driver knows exactly what the race drivers are being told.

The SLS follows in a long tradition of AMG pace cars in Formula One and is the ninth model from Merc's performance arm to lead the pack. A pair of C 63 AMG estates will also be on hand to serve as medical cars at every race.

Alisdair Suttie - 26 Feb 2010