All motorcyclists have heard of the Dainese brand and, for many, the Italian brand’s protective equipment is always among their top Christmas gift wishes. We took advantage of the presence of the brand’s CEO, Angel Sanchez, in our country, on the occasion of the Portuguese GP, and spoke to him.
Dainese isn’t just MotoGP, but if the brand has already been highly reputable for many years, it has become better known through Valentino Rossi, one of the many riders who has worn the Italian brand’s equipment. This year we find, for example, Joan Mir, Marco Bezzecchi, Franco Morbidelli, Toprak Razgatlioglu (this one in Superbike) and Luca Marini, as some of the most renowned riders wearing the brand’s colors.
Angel Sanchez is the brand’s CEO and he’s not even Italian, but Spanish. After many years of experience in business, Sanchez rose to the top of Dainese at the end of 2023, and now we’ve spoken to him during the MotoGP weekend in Portimão.
Motorcycle Sports – For most motorcyclists, Dainese is probably the most famous equipment brand in the world. Now that it’s 2024, where does the brand stand? Better than ever?
Angel Sanchez – Brands like Dainese, based on innovation, have to get better every year. The effort of the whole team is to try to develop new, more innovative products, so that users are increasingly safe in any type of environment and competitive level. That’s our motto.
Motorcycle Sports – Dainese seems to have always been able to choose some of the best MotoGP riders to wear its products. Has that also been one of the great secrets of the brand’s success?
Angel Sanchez – Absolutely. Having a good relationship with our riders has been one of the keys to our success. We try to have a limited number of riders, because we want to accompany them all in the same way, we want them to feel part of the family. And we also interact a lot with them, it’s one of the reasons I’m here today at this race, and our team dedicated to competition always tries to provide the best conditions for the drivers to feel good, so that we can also learn as much as we can from them. Then we pass the message on to the rest of the company, so that everything we learn at the races can be put to good use in the future in products for every rider and motorcyclist.
Motorcycle Sports – What has been the biggest evolution in terms of safety in recent decades? The appearance of airbag systems?
Angel Sanchez – In the history of motorcycling, as you probably know, Dainese has taken the big steps and created all the innovations in this area. The last and most significant was the airbag system, which at first was very difficult to make available to MotoGP riders. They doubted the system and its added value in saving lives, but they got to know the system which is now compulsory and our aim is to spread this technology to all motorcyclists on the road.
Motorcycle Sports – Has competitive motorcycling, especially MotoGP and the World Superbike Championship, been the best laboratory for developing products for all motorcyclists?
Angel Sanchez – Absolutely, and many of Dainese’s innovations have come about precisely through the brand’s experiences in competition. From Giacomo Agostini’s suits in the past, to Valentino Rossi’s help with the Pista helmet, and now with the launch of new super-light racing suits, 25% lighter than the rest on the market, everything has evolved. Valentino himself said that he felt super-protected but that the suit was heavy, and asked what could be done. And after many years of work we have achieved an incredible product which is the Mugello 3, top of the range on the market.
Motorcycle Sports – Dainese has always been considered a top brand, a premium brand. Is the ambition always to remain that way, even with rival brands appearing much more aggressive in terms of prices?
Angel Sanchez – Our strategy isn’t about price. Our strategy is to develop the best products, so that people are as safe as possible and can achieve the best performance. That’s why we use the materials we need and the technology we need to achieve the best products.
Motorcycle Sports – With several riders in MotoGP, does Dainese have any preferences when it comes to victories? If it’s an Italian rider, the better…?
Angel Sanchez – I don’t think so. I think that over time Dainese has also had riders of different nationalities, so being Italian isn’t a condition. The important thing is that there is good communication with the rider, that he has the best values and that together with us he helps us develop the best products. And, of course, that he has the winning spirit that has always been part of the brand.
Motorcycle Sports – In terms of rivalry, I imagine that Alpinestars is the brand that Dainesa pays the most attention to. Do you have a healthy relationship with them?
Angel Sanchez – All competition is healthy as long as you play fair. And I can say that in this industry all the manufacturers have done a good job, there is good competition between them. We realize that everyone tries to copy the products we launch (laughs), it’s always easier to go after others but the competition is good, with interesting brands on the market.
Motorcycle Sports – Dainese has recognized brands such as AGV and TCX, and has an agreement with MotoDesign. Is the aim to continue growing in order to have the best partners in each area?
Angel Sanchez – Absolutely! And now that we belong to the Carlyle group, which is a major private investor, one of the largest and growing, we intend to make more acquisitions in the future.
Motorcycle Sports – Dainese also has various products for cycling and skiing. Are all these products developed individually or was the experience in motorcycling essential for the brand to be strong in other sports too?
Angel Sanchez – Without a doubt, experience in motorcycling has been essential for other sports, especially in the area of protection and safety. If we know how to protect for motorcycle impacts, we will also know how to protect in sports where the speeds are lower, so our technology is very important, but also the choice of materials and all our experience in competition.
Motorcycle Sports – Can we expect any new innovations in racing soon, which could later reach the market?
Angel Sanchez – We’re working on important things, some of them related to themes we’ve already been developing. Various innovations, but I can’t talk about that at the moment!
