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The fundamental purpose of a racing seat is to hold the driver firmly in place. On or off the track, a racing seat helps a driver apply a better grip on the steering wheel. They also help assure that your feet are positioned for the best access to pedals.
Read on for everything you’ve wanted to ask about racing seats but were afraid to ask.
Are Racing Seats Comfortable?
Racing seats are purpose-built for safety. They often lack the comfort, refinements, and adjustability of high-end street seats. So you shouldn’t expect a racing seat to be soft and comfy seat because it’s constructed from rigid, lightweight materials. Long road trips might be downright uncomfortable.
Top-shelf manufacturers—such as Bride, Momo, Recaro, and Sparco—go to great lengths to engineer their seats to protect the driver in the event of an accident. That’s the point—not comfort. Of course, racing seats are also designed to help you go faster by keeping drivers in position for taking corners at speed.
Are Racing Seats Reclinable?
Solid-shell racing seats do not recline by design—because rigidity is key to keeping the driver secure, especially in a collision.
However, several brands offer racing-type seats are in the middle ground between a sport-street performance seat and a trackable race seat. Besides, many racing series will not permit a reclining seat. And when you get back on the street, a performance seat might not recline to the degree of standard seats.
Recaro Seats – Tommi Makinen Edition Lancer Evolution
Are Racing Seats for Cars Universal?
Racing seats are designed to fit in a range of vehicles. But they are not universal. In other words, they won’t fit in every car or work well for every driver’s body type.
The seat’s shape and size dictate the fit for your ride. Most vehicles require a mounting bracket designed precisely for the application. Take note: Seats and mounting brackets are sold separately.
Can You Buy Heated Racing Seats?
The vast majority of racing seats do not include pre-installed seat heaters. However, adding seat heaters is not a difficult task.
See our article: Heated Seat Kits and Other Seat-Warming Solutions
Are They Safer?
Yes and no. A high-end racing seat with a five-point harness is undoubtedly safer for the track than a factory-supplied seat. Of course, the sizing of a race seat must match the driver. Top-shelf seat manufacturers publish comprehensive seat dimensions and guidance.
The best racing seats carry a Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) designation. FIA-approved manufacturers include Bride, Cobra, Corbeau, Momo, OMP, Racetech, Recaro, and Sparco. Shop carefully before heading to the track. Not all models carry FIA approval.
It’s a different case on the street. Racing seats do not have integrated airbags. It’s up to the installer to figure out how airbags can remain functional when replacing an OEM seat with airbags.
One thing is clear: You don’t want to use five-point harnesses anywhere but the track. Car companies design and test commuter cars as a system. Installing a rigid racing seat with a five-point harness—but no roll cage—changes factors such as crumple zones and body positioning.
Are Racing Seats Street Legal?
The legal status of a race seat comes down to local law enforcement. The primary concern is the five-point safety harness (as mentioned above). Racing harnesses are never recommended for street use. They might violate state laws.
Non-Reclinable JDM Sparco Corsa Racing Bucket Seat
Why Do They Expire?
The FIA has a five-year rule with seats. A race seat technically expires five years after its date of manufacture. Of course, this primarily applies to when a vehicle enters an FIA-sanctioned race—under the eye of safety-focused safety technicians.
Where To Buy Racing Seats for Cars?
We admit to bias on this one. Simply put, eBay Motors offers the world’s most extensive collection of new and previously owned automotive seating from the broadest range of manufacturers.
Shop now for racing seatsHow Much Do They Cost?
Racing seat prices run the gamut from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. When budgeting for a racing seat, remember to include the seat, mounting bracket, the safety harness, and possibly a slider (for adjusting the position from front to back).
It makes no sense to skimp on safety when equipping a race car.
What Racing Seats are the Best?
That’s a tough subjective question. Most enthusiasts have a favorite brand. We recommend sticking with familiar tried-and-true name brands like Bride, Momo, Recaro, and Sparco.
Most importantly, make sure to order an authentic product. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be extremely wary of cheap, knock-off racing seats.
