Racing Seats - How to Understand Racing Seat Sizes

In this article, we look at how to understand racing seat sizes and dimensions. Whilst the safety and comfort of racing seats are both vitally important, always remember that not all are created equal.

To an untrained eye, all racing seats are basically the same. Always remember however that there are specific dimensions that absolutely must be adhered to if peak performance is to be gained from their use.

The Motor Sport Authority is Britain's governing body for motorsport. The MSA has determined a set range of dimensions and designs which must be fully adhered to. For example, in addition to the height, width, and length of the seat, the MSA also specifies the number of fixing points which are required for it to be MSA-approved.

Each year the MSA publishes the 'blue book' in the UK - the national motorsports rulebook which determines, amongst many other things, the specific dimensions and specifications required for FIA-approved items. Many seat manufacturers - Corbeau, Cobra, Sparco, Recaro, and the like - know these rules as the 8855/1999 rules.

The rules dictate, for instance, that it must be securely fixed down to the car using - at the very least - four M8-guage 8.8 bolts, no less than 2cm apart. There are additional rules for different materials too, covering the three common seat materials - steel, plastic (fibreglass) and carbon fibre.

Carbon fibre seats have minimum dimensions too. Carbon fibre is an extremely thin fabric which is used widely in top-flight motor racing. Fabric layers are bonded together before being 'baked' to form an immensely strong material, which is also much lighter than steel. The width of the carbon seat at shoulder-height is 20 inches (22 inches at the base, with 18 inch sides). Carbon fibre seats are comfortably the lightest of all of them, with the cheaper fibreglass alternatives a close second (depending on how thick the plastic is).

Whatever the material, these seats differ hugely from standard car seats. Whilst they ultimately serve the same purpose - to keep the occupant seated in comfort and safety - the two could not be more different in specification, comfort, and safety. Some pseudo-race seats (commonly known as bucket seats) for example combine the comfort of a road seats (padded cushion bases, softer materials) with the bucket-style design of the out-and-out race seat. However, in all but the rarest of cases, these seats are not MSA-approved for racing.

Mode Racewear is a leading supplier of racing seats, race bucket seats and racing harnesses, and stocks a range of racing seats by Sparco, Corbeau, Cobra and Recaro.

Mode Racewear is a Silverstone-based company, supplying quality Racing Seats and other racing accessories. For top-quality race seats check our our website or call us on 01327 858349 today!

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