Contrary to popular belief, professional drivers rubbed – or even dragged – their elbows on the track at least twenty years earlier than we think.
It was in 1988 and a certain Jean Philippe Ruggia, star of the 250cc class on Yamaha, opened a new chapter in the history of technical riding. The race took place in Donington, England, and it was the 12th round of the championship. For the first time, a professional driver was caught on camera with one elbow scraping on the ground.
Jean-Philippe Ruggia, and his very particular style for the time, with his elbow on the ground
The 250cc category was perfect for this kind of stunt. While the 125 was more nimble, the tires were too narrow for such lean angles. On the other hand, the much more powerful 500s didn't need all that cornering speed. It is this movement, now imitated on numerous occasions, which earned the French rider a place of choice in the history of motorcycle racing.
A few years later this was repeated by Max Biaggi, again on a 250. Hailing from Rome, Biaggi was the undisputed king of the category at the time and one of the most notable professional riders. A gap of almost twenty years followed the movement of Biaggi who, now that the techniques and especially the tires had been perfected, reappeared, and in all categories this time.
In the 1990s, elbow protection was limited to unsophisticated solutions, partly because the demand was limited to very few professional pilots. In the later years of the MotoGP category, however, clothing manufacturers have gone so far as to incorporate actual sliders on the elbows. It was the same concept as the knee sliders, finding a new point of support and contact with the track, at extreme angles.
As with the knee sliders, here too, the innovation concerns the shape and the methods of integration with the suit. The first version, still used by many pilots, was particularly wide and attached to the suit by means of two screws which held it firmly. The more modern version is smaller and attached with a quick change device. The shape of these second generation sliders results from studies on the most worn area of the first version. The goal was to reduce weight in order to maximize performance.
Elbow sliders, here on Marc Marquez's combination
The transition from professional pilot suits to mass production happened very quickly. The elbow slider started appearing on high-end suits a few years later, then arrived on other products, including sports jackets for everyday use on the road. This style of driving, which a few years ago seemed the exclusive prerogative of the best professional drivers, is now accessible to its many fans, who can imitate it as long as they are properly supported by first-rate technical equipment, tires to clothing.
Photos: Dainese
