Spoilers! Quite a few people like them, others don’t prefer them, and then there are the guys and girls out there that need them, especially out on the track. EICMA was the launching ground for the new Shark Aeron GP, a helmet with an ingenious new spoiler design.
“At one with the air.” “Air is no longer an obstacle.” The launch video was peppered with all of these terms and marketing speak, but what Shark was able to achieve is something that other manufacturers haven’t even touched yet, and that’s a spoiler that adapts and moves depending on the air moving around it. So named after that concept, the Aeron GP looks to be Shark’s slickest helmet yet.
Did you think that spoilers could get any bigger? Well, instead of making things bigger like what Shark did on the Race-R Pro GP (it’s a really massive spoiler, as in, massive), the Aeron is more than just a Race-R Pro with a massive wing at the back.
There are other changes as well, the shell is updated and a little rounder compared to the Race-R Pro GP, but it still features Shark’s signature racing look with the sharp front and the overall layout. The vents have been revised going from the Race-R to the Aeron model, you can see the lineage of the Race-R series on the Aeron all done in the pursuit of aero. That being said, the visor remains the same, the top vents get a different cover, and the chin vent gets a nice update. Otherwise, you can still see some bits Shark’s current GP helmet, though there are new bits and pieces to admire.
Gallery: Shark Helmets AERON GP EICMA 2023 Presentation
What about that adaptive aero though? A first for Shark and a first for the industry. The French helmet maker has come up with something that is truly interesting. The movable flaps on the side of the spoiler aren’t just for show, of course. Through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, Shark’s engineers were able to create a system that allows air to flow more stably around a rider’s helmet through the use of moving flaps.
That means that the aerodynamic properties of this lid will not only benefit racers on the straights but also through the twists and turns of a circuit. The flaps also dampen the turbulence behind a rider's head as he cuts through the air, resulting in the slipperiest helmet that Shark has ever made. Also, Shark stated that this helmet can be made compatible with a variety of leather humps so whether tall or small, the helmet’s flaps can adapt to the air around it.
On top of that, the promo material for the helmet shows that it is destined for ECE 22.06 and FIM Homologation, which means that its first market will definitely be on the European front.
Destined for the track, and destined for the fastest races in the world, the Aeron GP will come to the market in due time, Shark has only previewed this lid so far, and we expect this helmet to be Johann Zarco’s new favorite as well. There has been no launch date announced just yet. However, we may see a few of these lids on Shark-sponsored racers in the near future.
