Misano Adriatico, August 24, 2026. There comes a time, before a given technology makes its way into a racing suit, when it is still just an idea. A material, a shape, a detail, a solution to test. This is the moment during which Project Apex was born.
Following the first edition of the event in August 2025 at Mugello, Dainese Project Apex returned to the track for the second time, for an exclusive day dedicated to research and development. At the Marco Simoncelli World Circuit, the Dainese riders from the MotoGP™, Superbike and other categories shared the track with engineers, designers, technicians, and developers from Dainese and AGV, testing new solutions and contributing to a process that never stops: the pursuit of future protection.
With Apex, there’s no stopwatch to beat. This time, the track is there to help us to feel our way and find that little detail that can make all the difference, when everything has to work perfectly. A movement, an area of pressure, a seam, the way a piece of protective gear fits the body. These are sensations that only those who ride a motorcycle at the very limits can accurately convey, and they become invaluable when they reach the people who design and manufacture those products.
Valentino Rossi, Marco Bezzecchi, Franco Morbidelli, Fermin Aldeguer, Andrea Iannone, Loris Capirossi, Celestino Vietti, Daniel Holgado, Pol Espargaro and many more: the experience of the world’s fastest riders meets Dainese’s research. On the one hand, years spent striving for peak performance; on the other, expertise, technology, and a deep understanding of the materials and the human body. Because when you’re riding a motorcycle at the highest conceivable level, protection is something that must be able to be forgotten, so that the rider is free to focus on their racing line, braking, and the next corner. It must become part of the movement, without ever getting in the way.
Dainese Project Apex was inspired by this quest for the perfect balance between protection, comfort, and performance. And like any research worth pursuing, it has no real finish line.
From the racetrack to the road, through the hands and experience of those who push their motorcycles to the limit. This is how Dainese continues to develop the protection of the future: the technologies tested on the track today may become part of tomorrow’s racing gear, and over time, may evolve into solutions available to all motorcyclists.
“Protection continues to evolve. We need to be free to move around on the motorcycle while staying protected. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but the airbag, for example, is something that Dainese invented specifically for this purpose. And once you experience it, there’s no turning back.”
Marco Bezzecchi
“Over the years, I’ve witnessed an impressive evolution in terms of motorcycle clothing. From the very first suits, which had virtually no built-in protection, we’ve come a long way, to airbags and modern technologies. And the improvements never stop: today I tried out a new prototype for the first time, which was a giant leap forward in terms of comfort and freedom of movement.”
Loris Capirossi
“Development generally occurs gradually, one step at a time. We always strive to refine the details of solutions that are already excellent. The suit we’re testing today is a major leap forward, especially in terms of mobility. You have to work constantly and never settle for less: this is always the right philosophy.”
Andrea Iannone
“Safety comes first; we sometimes fall really hard, so we need to be protected. But comfort, lightness, how you feel on the bike, and how you can move are all essential, both in terms of performance and safety itself. With Dainese, I always have all of this, so I feel confident pushing myself harder and harder.”
Daniel Holgado
