Section 8: Safety Considerations
Safety is the paramount concern of the FIM and Dorna. The FIM Safety Commission and the MotoGP Safety Officer work in conjunction with Race Direction, circuit operators, and the riders' safety representatives to continuously develop and enforce safety standards. The MotoGP Safety Commission meets regularly throughout the season; safety recommendations from the riders' safety representative (a rider elected by the paddock) are formally considered in this process.
8.1 Mandatory Rider Safety Equipment
Per Article 8 of the Regulations, the following equipment is mandatory for all on-track activity (practice, qualifying, and race):
- Helmet: Full-face, FIM-homologated helmet meeting ECE 22.06 (current edition) or equivalent FIM-approved standard. Open-face or jet helmets are prohibited. The helmet must be fastened at all times on track.
- Race suit: Full-body leather (or FIM-approved textile) suit with integrated or attached certified protectors at minimum: back (to EN 1621-2 Level 2 or equivalent), shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Suits must be FIM-homologated. Two-piece suits must be connectable and fastened when racing.
- Airbag system: A FIM-homologated rider airbag — either integrated within the race suit or as a separate vest worn over the suit — is mandatory. The system must be capable of deploying in a crash event to protect the thorax, spine, and collarbone regions. Tethered and electronic (accelerometer-triggered) systems are both approved provided they carry valid FIM homologation.
- Gloves: FIM-homologated racing gloves with knuckle protection and wrist reinforcement.
- Boots: FIM-homologated racing boots covering the ankle and lower shin, with toe box and heel cup reinforcement.
- Neck brace: Not currently mandated by regulation but strongly recommended by the FIM Medical Commission and widely used in the paddock.
8.2 Medical Intervention Procedures
- A minimum of two medical vehicles (fully equipped for trauma intervention) must follow the pack at the race start and be available throughout the race. At least one must be a motorcycle.
- A FIM-standard Level 2 Medical Centre must be operational at all times during official sessions. Level 2 requires: a physician with emergency medicine or anaesthesiology qualification, surgical capability, blood supply, intensive care capacity, and radiology (X-ray minimum).
- A dedicated medical helicopter with a trauma team must be available at all Grand Prix events, with a clear landing zone within the circuit perimeter. The helicopter must be capable of transporting a patient on life support to a tertiary hospital within a defined transfer time agreed with local authorities.
- Crashed riders are assessed on-track by the medical team before being moved. A rider who has been involved in a significant crash must be cleared by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) before being permitted to continue in the same session or race.
- The CMO has authority to withdraw a rider from competition on medical grounds, irrespective of the rider's own wishes (FIM Medical Code, Article 3).
8.3 Race Interruption for Safety — Red Flag
Race Direction may stop any session or race by deploying the red flag when conditions are deemed dangerous (Article 22). Situations warranting a red flag include: serious accident with rider on track and insufficient medical access, significant debris or fluid on track creating a dangerous hazard, severe weather reducing visibility below safe limits, or any other condition that Race Direction judges to create unacceptable risk. Upon red flag, all riders must immediately reduce speed and proceed cautiously to the pit lane entrance or a designated marshalling zone. Overtaking is strictly prohibited once the red flag is displayed.
8.4 Safety Car & Virtual Safety Car
- Safety Car (SC): Deployed during a race to neutralise the field while a hazard is dealt with. All riders must queue behind the Safety Car and are prohibited from overtaking. Pit stops for tyre changes are permitted while the Safety Car is deployed. The Safety Car returns to the pit lane when Race Direction deems the track safe; a green flag (or light panel) signals the restart.
- Virtual Safety Car (VSC): A procedure in which riders are required to reduce speed by a set amount (enforced via the Magneti Marelli ECU's delta-time system) without a physical Safety Car on track. Overtaking is prohibited during VSC conditions. The VSC is deployed for shorter or less severe hazards that do not require a full Safety Car deployment.
8.5 Circuit Safety Standards & Evolution
The FIM Circuit Safety Commission performs an annual inspection of all Grade A circuits prior to the award or renewal of a circuit licence. Safety improvements recommended by the Commission are binding conditions of the licence. The FIM publishes updated Circuit Licence Regulations periodically (most recently revised for the 2024/2025 cycle) to reflect advances in barrier technology, run-off design, and medical facility standards. Circuit operators are required to implement mandated upgrades within the timeline specified by the FIM; failure to comply results in withdrawal of the circuit licence and removal of the event from the calendar.
8.6 Rider Welfare & Concussion Protocol
The FIM has adopted a formal Concussion Protocol (updated 2022) aligned with international motorsport and sports medicine standards. Any rider suspected of sustaining a concussion in a crash must be assessed using the standardised Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) by the circuit CMO before being permitted to return to competition. A rider removed from a session under the Concussion Protocol may not return to competition at the same event without CMO clearance, regardless of remaining session time.