Mips, as Official Safety Partner to MXGP, arranged the first European Safety Symposium in Teutschenthal, together with Infront Moto Racing, the FIM, brand partners and Team Mips ambassador Tim Gajser.
Held on the eve of the Grand Prix on May 31st, in the presence of invited media, the Safety Symposium aimed to elevate the conversation of rider safety in the sport, giving helmet safety the attention, and action, it deserves.
Starting with the talent of tomorrow, the MXGP Academy youth riders and their parents were first educated on the importance of choosing protective equipment, specifically helmets, based upon safety as a priority. Demonstrating the ‘action’ to the ‘attention’, each of the aspiring MXGP stars was then given a helmet equipped with the Mips safety system to ensure they are riding with the added safety it affords.
Joining Mips CEO Max Strandwitz on stage were Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo and FIM CMS Director Antonio Alia plus representatives of three brands choosing to adopt the Mips safety system – Fox/Bell, Shot and Thor. Highlighting the rider perspective was Team Mips ambassador and five-time MXGP (MX2) World Champion Tim Gajser.
Let’s all give helmet safety the attention, and action, it deserves.
Max Strandwitz, Mips CEO: “I am very pleased with our Safety Symposium in Germany. For us we want to elevate the conversation around helmet safety, and bringing together some of our great brands and of course our own ambassador Tim Gajser along with MXGP and the FIM was a really important step in pushing that awareness and action. It’s been a great event with a lot of interest and we’re really happy with the discussions as we continue with our mission to lead the world to safer helmets.”
David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing CEO: “We have great pleasure in welcoming Mips to the MXGP family officially. Safety is always a top priority which we are always pushing to improve, and this shared vision with Mips means we can continue to develop the level of rider safety not just in MXGP but also for the wider sport of motocross. Joining so many key people from our motocross family together to increase the conversation around safety is something we are very happy to be able to be a part of with Mips.”
Tim Gajser, 5x World Champion: “The sport is developing really fast, the bikes are getting faster, and so the only right thing is that the safety equipment is also developed to be safer, and that’s what Mips are doing. As a rider and an athlete, we all want to have as little equipment on us as possible to feel light, and to know the Mips system is there but not feel it inside the helmet is an amazing feeling. As a rider it’s really important to know that you’re protected.
“Since using Mips with Fox from 2018, I haven’t ridden without Mips. If there’s a safer option available, why wouldn’t you take it? When we go behind the gate we all want to win, but in the end we want to come home safe as well. When you know there is that extra level of safety there it gives you more confidence.
“I was also young and you always want that your helmet looks nice, but it’s really important to consider how the helmet is built. For me, it’s the most important thing to choose a helmet on safety and technology, and I would definitely suggest Mips.”
Glen Dempsey, Thor EU: “There is so much that consumers can research on products now, which is great, but as a brand you need to give them the best options possible. That’s why we choose Mips to give our riders, from grass roots all the way to MXGP, the best level of safety for their hobby and sport.”
Jean-Baptiste Rollet, Shot Marketer: “I think at the moment we need to teach the young generation in particular about the importance of helmet safety because, as Tim says, there is still a big focus on the look and the design. But we all know that crashes are always a risk in this sport. So we need to talk, we need to educate, and to make safety right in the middle of the discussion and thought process behind helmets. This is also why it’s great to have Tim, as a very strong ambassador not only for Mips but also for the sport in general, speaking so openly about safety to encourage other riders to make smart choices.”
Thomas Ramsbacher, FOX, BELL (Revelyst) VP Market Development: “We mind about protecting our riders in the best possible way, and this is what we are always looking for. We will never sell a product where we are not 100% behind its safety and performance, and this is why we use Mips. Let me give an example: all the cars we are now driving have airbag systems. At the end of the day the best situation is when we never feel the airbag, but it’s there and we know it makes us better protected. In the moment when we need it it’s there, and this is the feeling the Mips systems gives our riders. Buying a car without airbags isn’t even a consideration, and it should be the same with helmet choices and the Mips system.”
Antonio Alia, FIM CMS Director: “Developing increased safety systems for our riders is a key mission for us, and it’s clear that Mips shares that vision. Rotational motion is a very important consideration in accidents, which is why it’s now included in the latest ECE 22.06 regulations, but there is always work to be done and Mips are right at the forefront of this. I am confident that all together we can continue to work towards making our sport safer and reducing the effects of crashes, and we welcome this increased conversation around helmet safety.”
To learn more about Mips, visit mipsprotection.com.
