One of the reasons why MotoGP™ is the most exciting sport on earth is that the bikes are so fast, regularly reaching over 360km/h (223.7mph) on the track. At those incredible speeds, rider safety is paramount, but how can these superhuman athletes stay safe when travelling around three times faster than the permitted road speed limit for most countries?
In this definitive guide to MotoGP™ safety gear and techniques, we’ll explain how the racing suit, MotoGP™ helmet and other protective gear have evolved to play the crucial role they do in the sport.
We’ll also look at how techniques like dragging knees and elbows for balance keep riders safe at high speeds, with the help of gear like MotoGP™ knee and elbow sliders.
This combination of technique and technology is what enables riders to perform such incredible feats of speed and bravery, making MotoGP™ the spectacular show it is today.
Protective MotoGP™ racing suits
The racing suits worn by MotoGP™ riders have been carefully designed and refined over the years with numerous safety features. Each rider’s one-piece leather suit is tailored by leading manufacturers like Alpinestars and Dainese to fit them perfectly and not just to help them look good - it’s essential that the inbuilt protectors for their knees, coccyx, shoulders, back, elbows and forearms are all in exactly the right place.
The airbag suit MotoGP™ riders wear really does have airbags built into it to protect those key vulnerable areas. The suits are made with an innovative combination of durable kevlar and synthetic materials, which is vital to keep riders safe from injury if they come off their bikes and slide across the track surface or gravel.
MotoGP™ helmet specifications
The MotoGP™ helmet specifications are necessarily strict for obvious reasons. All helmets used by riders must have FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) homologation programme certification and meet the highest safety standards.
The aerodynamically efficient helmets comprise a super-hard outer carbon shell with a styrofoam inner protection layer specifically designed to offer the right protection in the right places within the helmet. They also offer noise reduction, alongside earplugs that muffle harmful sounds.
Ventilation is also an essential feature with anti-fog technology ensuring that there are no visibility issues during a race, along with durable high-quality visors that can deal with any kind of weather, as well as flying debris and stones. Tear-off layers are also used to clear the visor of any build-up of dirt.
Knee and Elbow Sliders
One of the most iconic sights on a MotoGP™ track is a rider leaning at almost impossible angles, dragging knees and elbows - at incredible speeds - to gain an advantage when cornering. This is done to achieve the right level of balance to keep the bike (and rider) in control without compromising too much on speed.
This manoeuvre would be painful without the right level of protection for the knees and elbows being dragged along the track surface. Made of a durable compound and easily replaceable on the suit, these were initially focused on the knees, but more recently, elbow and even shoulder sliders have become more popular.
Use of Back Protectors and Boots
Another vital piece of MotoGP™ safety gear is the CE-rated spine protection, which protects the back from potentially serious injury and is designed for comfort in the racing position.
Even the heat-resistant boots worn by riders have specialised protection, including toe and ankle and heel reinforcements. Some riders dangle their feet as they approach corners, so modern boots now have harder or softer soles that can be replaced as needed as well as outer sliders that help with heat and abrasion resistance.
Rider Techniques that Enhance Safety
All of this MotoGP™ safety gear is essential for minimising the risk of serious injury, but the riders themselves have various techniques that they use to stay safe. We’ve already mentioned the way that many riders adopt a leaning posture with their knees and elbows pointing down on corners.
This is done for both speed and balance, helped by the way modern motorcycles are much more stable than they used to be.
MotoGP™ riders also train extremely hard to ensure that they can race right on the limit, with upper and lower body strength, cardiovascular fitness and lightning quick reflexes enabling these world class athletes to race safely at such remarkable speeds.
They must be able to cope with the considerable physical demands of the sport whilst also staying 100% mentally focussed throughout the 40-45 minutes of a race, often in conditions of extreme heat or on wet race tracks.
The riders also work closely with their teams and data analysts to ensure that they can ride and race right on the limit of crashing. With their teams, the riders configure their bikes in terms of geometry, suspension settings, traction control, power delivery, engine braking settings and weight distribution to allow them to race as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Other features on the MotoGP™ motorcycles which provide vital data for the right balance of safety and performance, include:
- temperature and pressure sensors for oil and water
- throttle position sensors
- torque output sensors
- brake pressure sensors
- engine brake sensors
- gear lever pressure sensors
- lean angle sensors
- front and rear wheel speed sensors
Ride height devices, hole shot devices and anti-wheelie devices are also used by the riders, giving them more stability and greater control over their powerful 1000cc prototype bikes.
Safety Innovations Over Time
MotoGP™ has evolved so much in recent years that the sport is almost unrecognisable from where it began. From the simple leathers of yesteryear to the complex technology utilised by riders today, it’s no wonder that crash survivability has increased alongside the speed and quality of the racing, which MotoGP™ fans around the word enjoy so much.
For further reading check out this article on the wider safety systems at Grand Prix circuits and this guide to the flag system in MotoGP™, which is designed to uphold the sporting integrity of MotoGP as well as the safety of the riders.