Rollout of FIM Racing Homologation Programme for safety helmets continues ahead of 2023 EWC season

The FRHP was launched ahead of 2016 to develop and propose the best level of protection of helmets for riders competing in FIM competitions. The phase 01 standard of the programme (FRHPhe-01) was intended for circuit racing only, and the first homologated helmet was introduced in June 2019 (in MotoGP) and then in January 2020 for all other circuit racing disciplines.

After four seasons of experience, FIM is proud of the benefits of the FRHPhe-01, which has dramatically increased the level of rider safety. Including an assessment of the protection against low, medium and high velocity linear impacts, oblique impacts and penetration, this programme was able to take learnings from 38 FIM homologated helmets made by 22 manufacturers.

Following close collaboration between all the main stakeholders and the FIM-approved laboratory (Impact Laboratory at the University of Zaragoza), phase 02 of the FIM Racing Homologation Programme for helmets (FRHPhe-02) has now been launched. This new phase is also focused on off-road helmets, thus marking a huge turning point for safety in motocross, enduro, speedway and cross-country disciplines, with the first FIM standard for FIM off-road championships.

From the outset the aim of the FRHPhe-02 was to improve riders’ head protection in all other disciplines. This phase 02 has been established, with the collaboration of the helmet manufacturers, in order to define a new standard that goes above and beyond existing ones on the market (e.g., UN ECE 22.06, Snell M2020, JIS T8133), and above the FRHPhe-01.

Relative to the standards previously referred to, the FRHPhe-02 helmets have undergone an enhanced and more complete evaluation of their performance, in addition to being previously certified as compliant with an international standard (with impacts randomly in nine to 13 out of 22 pre-established locations distributed all over the helmet surface).

This includes new threshold requirements and new impacts and tests, such as new impact tests against oblique anvils, impact tests against hemispherical anvils (to measure rotational solicitations generated in impacts), a quick-removal cheek pad test, and the introduction of a Skull Fracture Criterion (SFC).

FIM intends to keep increasing the level of safety for riders with the new FIM helmet standard (FRHPhe-02), which will be strongly recommended from 2025 and become mandatory from 2026 for FIM riders (except for trial, pedelecs, SSV and land speed world records (streamliners only) riders. As a result, FIM expects and strongly encourages all riders from national federations to use FIM-homologated helmets to move forward in the same direction.

FIM expects all manufacturers to propose FIM-homologated helmets to the market in order to offer a new level in helmet safety worldwide.

Such as for FRHPhe-01, an FIM Homologation Label (TBD), sewn directly on the helmet chinstrap, will uniquely identify each helmet presented in FIM competitions, and this will act as an efficient tracking tool for technical stewards. By scanning the label QR code, information relative to the helmet features and the validity of the homologation will be accessible, to be tracked individually.

Jorge Viegas, FIM President, said: “The first aim of FIM was always the safety for its riders. After the experience of phase 1 of the FIM Racing Homologation Programme for helmets (FRHPhe-01), the FIM and DORNA are fully satisfied with the efficient results for the safety of riders. The FRHPhe-02 represents a milestone to increase the level of safety for our riders, and to introduce an FIM standard for off-road riders. The FIM got involved in this project, with a lot of work alongside the helmet manufacturers, our promoters, and with our technical stewards’ feedback. I expect that some manufacturers will propose helmets compliant with FRHPhe-02 to our riders before the target of the 2026 season, and they could manufacture them not only for FIM championships but also for national federation events, for safety in off-road.”

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