Is it time to replace your race suit? Let’s get you track-ready. Kart Suit Standards: What Short Circuit And Race Venue Events Each Require
Kart suits look like the simple purchase of a karting kit. They are not, because Motorsport UK set different requirements depending on what kind of kart event you are entering, and the two rules name different standards.
Most people are doing short circuit karting, and for that the homologated suits on our shelves are exactly right. If you are heading for a Race Venue kart event, the rule is stricter and it is worth knowing before you buy, not after. Here is both, taken from the rulebook.
Two kinds of event, two rules
Motorsport UK treat Race Venue karting as a separate discipline from short circuit karting, right down to the licence grade, and the clothing rules follow that split.
| Event type | What the rules require |
|---|---|
| Short Circuits | Leather suits, or suits of a recognised CIK homologation standard |
| Race Venue Kart Events | Leather suits, suits approved to FIA 8877-2022 Grade 2, or suits approved to EN17092 Class AAA |
And the rules then set out which CIK homologations count: the only acceptable CIK-FIA homologated suits are those to standard 2001-1, or 2013-1 level 1 or 2, or FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 or 2.
So for short circuit karting, which is where the overwhelming majority of UK club karting happens, a suit carrying FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 satisfies the requirement. For a Race Venue kart event the rule names Grade 2, leather or EN17092 Class AAA specifically.
Grades and levels on the label
You will see two different systems on kart suit labels, and both appear on our shelves because both are recognised.
FIA 8877-2022, in Grades. The current karting clothing standard, and the one nearly all new kart suits carry. Ours are Grade 1, from the OMP KS-3X at £189.60 up to the Sparco Superleggera-K at £1,039.20.
CIK-FIA, in Levels. The older system, and still recognised: the rules accept 2001-1, and 2013-1 at level 1 or 2. We have one, the Alpinestars Super KMX-1 at £341.95, listed as CIK-FIA Level 2.
The same standard, FIA 8877-2022, also covers karting gloves and boots, which is why a kart glove carries a completely different approval from a car racing glove. We cover that in the glove guide and the boot guide.
-
From £189.60 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £205.20 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
The junior suit trap
Worth flagging on its own, because it is the same shape as the kart helmet problem and it catches the same people.
A suit being sold as a junior kart suit does not mean it is homologated. Our OMP Summer-K Junior Kart Suit at £85.80 is listed Non-CIK and Non-FIA, and so is the adult Summer-K at the same price. They are practice and paddock suits, entirely honest at that money, and they will not get a child through scrutineering at a race meeting.
If your young driver is racing, the entry into a homologated suit is the OMP KS-3X at £189.60. If they are doing arrive-and-drive, indoor karting or practice days, the cheaper suits are the sensible spend and there is no reason to pay more. Decide which of those you are actually doing first, exactly as you would with the helmet.
-
From £52.80 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £20.40 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £8.28 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £15.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Wet weather suits go over the top
This one comes up every British winter. Correctly fitted wet weather suits designed for the purpose may be worn over an approved kart suit in wet weather. Over, not instead of.
So the raincoat, the over-suit and the kart wetsuit on our shelves, from £60.00 to £73.80, are all additions to a homologated suit and never a substitute for one. That is why they are listed Non-CIK and Non-FIA: they are not trying to be the suit.
Buy the approved suit first, then buy the wet weather layer if you race through a British season, which you will want by about October.
The details scrutineers check
Three small ones from the same section of the rules, all of which are easy to satisfy and easy to forget.
Fastenings. All clothing must be securely fastened at the wrists, ankles and neck, and must be adequate to minimise abrasions. A suit that fits properly does this on its own; a hand-me-down two sizes too big does not.
Loose items. Trailing or loose scarves are not permitted.
Inspection. Suits, helmets, visors and all other protective clothing must be presented for inspection by the scrutineers on demand, including in Parc Fermé. So the kit needs to be with you and in a condition you are happy to hand over, not buried in the van.
And if you are going the leather route, which the rules allow for both event types, leather suits must comply with current CIK-FIA regulations and have a minimum thickness of 1.2mm measured at any part of the suit.
The range, entry to top
Prices include VAT and were correct on 13 August 2026.
| Suit | Approval | Short circuit racing | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| OMP Summer-K Junior | Non-CIK, Non-FIA | No, practice only | £85.80 |
| OMP KS-4 2026 | Non-FIA | No, practice only | £138.00 |
| OMP KS-3X | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £189.60 |
| Sparco Thunder Advanced | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £205.20 |
| OMP KS-3X Art | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £219.60 |
| Sparco Kerb Advanced | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £242.40 |
| Alpinestars KMX-9 V3 | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £266.40 |
| Alpinestars Super KMX-1 | CIK-FIA Level 2 | Yes | £341.95 |
| OMP KS-2X Art | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £403.20 |
| Sparco Superleggera-K | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | Yes | £1,039.20 |
The line that matters is between the KS-4 at £138.00 and the KS-3X at £189.60. Below it you are buying a practice suit; above it you are buying a suit that satisfies the short circuit requirement. Fifty-one pounds and sixty pence is the whole difference, which is worth knowing before you spend £138 on the wrong thing.
-
From £21.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £14.40 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Common questions
Which suits are accepted for short circuit karting?
Leather suits, or suits of a recognised CIK homologation standard. The rules list those as CIK-FIA 2001-1, CIK-FIA 2013-1 level 1 or 2, and FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 or 2. Our homologated kart suits are Grade 1 and satisfy that, starting at £189.60.
Is a Race Venue kart event different?
Yes, and it is the reason this page exists. For Race Venue kart events the rules require leather suits, suits approved to FIA 8877-2022 Grade 2, or suits approved to EN17092 Class AAA. We do not currently stock Grade 2 or EN17092 suits, so ring us before ordering if that is what you are entering.
My child has a junior kart suit. Is it approved?
Check the label, because being sold as a junior suit does not make it homologated. Our OMP Summer-K Junior at £85.80 is listed Non-CIK and Non-FIA, which makes it a practice suit. For racing, the homologated range starts at £189.60. Same trap as the helmets, so check both together.
Can I wear a wet weather suit instead of my kart suit?
No. The rules allow a correctly fitted wet weather suit designed for the purpose to be worn over an approved kart suit. It is an extra layer, not a replacement, which is why the rain suits are listed as non-approved.
Are two-piece suits allowed?
Yes, provided the two pieces are zipped together. Everything still has to be securely fastened at the wrists, ankles and neck. For a driver who is between sizes, or growing quickly, a two-piece is a legitimate way to get a better fit.
What about leather suits?
Leather is accepted for both short circuits and Race Venue kart events. If you go that way, leather suits must comply with current CIK-FIA regulations and have a minimum thickness of 1.2mm measured at any part of the suit. We do not stock leather kart suits, so that is a conversation rather than an order.
What we would buy
Short circuit club racing, which is most people: the OMP KS-3X at £189.60. It carries FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1, it satisfies the requirement, and there is no need to spend more until you want to. Moving up the range buys lighter, better ventilated construction and a better cut, which matters most to drivers doing a lot of days.
Practice, indoor and arrive-and-drive only: the Summer-K at £85.80 or the KS-4 at £138.00, and enjoy not paying for a homologation you are not being asked for.
Race Venue kart events: the rule names Grade 2, leather or EN17092 Class AAA, which is a different shelf from the one above. Ring us with the event and we will work out what you need and where it comes from.
Final thoughts: find out which event you are entering
Everything above turns on that one question, and it is the question people answer last. Sort it first and the shopping takes five minutes.
The range is under karting suits. Do the helmet at the same time, because it has its own age-based rules, and ring 0115 9893488 with the driver’s age and the class if you want us to check the whole kit against one list.
