Customer Question: Can An FIA Suit Be Used For Karting And In Karting Championships?
Kartwear guide
We get asked this a lot, usually by someone who already owns a good FIA race suit for car racing and wants to try karting. It seems reasonable: the suit is approved, fire-resistant and expensive, so surely it will do.
For a UK karting championship the answer is no. A car race suit does not carry a karting approval, so it will not pass scrutineering, and it is built for a different risk. Here is why, and what the rules ask for instead.
- FIA car race suits (FIA 8856-2018) are built for fire protection
- Kart suits are built for abrasion protection
- Motorsport UK short circuit karting accepts leather suits or recognised CIK homologated suits
- Accepted CIK homologations: 2001-1, 2013-1 Level 1 or 2, or FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 or 2
- CIK-FIA 2013-1 suits can be used in FIA competitions until the end of 2029
- A car race suit is not on that list
What is on this page
Car race suits and kart suits protect against different things
An FIA car race suit, approved to FIA 8856-2018 (or the older 8856-2000), is there to protect you from fire. It is made from layers of flame-resistant material, often Nomex, designed to give you time to get out of a burning car.
In a kart the main risk is different. If you come out of the kart or slide along the track, what protects you is a fabric that resists abrasion. Kart suits use tough outer fabrics such as Cordura for exactly that. A soft aramid race suit is not made for sliding on tarmac and can wear through quickly.
It works the other way too. A kart suit is not rated for a car fire, so it is no substitute for an FIA suit in a car. Each is built for its own job.
| FIA car race suit | Kart suit | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | FIA 8856-2018 | FIA 8877-2022 (or older CIK-FIA) |
| Main protection | Fire | Abrasion |
| Typical outer fabric | Nomex or similar aramid | Cordura or similar |
| Accepted for UK short circuit karting | No | Yes, if homologated |
What the UK karting rules say
Almost all competitive karting in the UK, from club meetings to the national championships, runs under Motorsport UK. For short circuit karting, the rules accept leather suits or suits of a recognised CIK homologation standard. The CIK homologations they list are 2001-1, 2013-1 at Level 1 or 2, and FIA 8877-2022 at Grade 1 or 2.
An FIA car race suit is none of those, so it will not get through scrutineering. Scrutineers check the homologation label on the suit, and without a karting approval on it you will not be allowed out. Race Venue kart events, held at car circuits, have their own stricter list, which names FIA 8877-2022 Grade 2, leather, or EN17092 Class AAA.
Non-championship karting, such as arrive-and-drive and some independent series, can be more relaxed, but check with the venue. Our kart suit standards guide goes through each type of event in more detail.
Why you would not want to anyway
Wear and cost. A kart is a hard place for a race suit. Sliding, kerbs and the chassis all wear the fabric, and damaging a suit you need for car racing is an expensive way to go karting.
Heat. Karting is physical and you are out in the open. A multi-layer fire suit is hot to drive a kart in, and a lot of sweat and dirt is not good for it.
Movement. Kart suits are cut for the karting position, with stretch panels at the back and shoulders, because you work the wheel hard with no power steering.
Garreth’s advice is simple: if you do both, keep a suit for each. Look after the FIA suit for the car, and buy a kart suit for the kart. Our guide to choosing an FIA race suit covers the car side.
The change to FIA 8877-2022
Karting clothing standards have changed. FIA 8877-2022 replaced the old CIK-FIA Level 1 and Level 2 system with Grade 1 and Grade 2, and it also brings in homologation for karting gloves and boots.
Production of CIK-FIA 2013-1 Level 2 suits stopped at the end of 2024, but suits made before then can still be used in FIA competitions until 31 December 2029. From 2030 only FIA 8877-2022 suits are accepted there. If you are buying a new kart suit now, choose one approved to FIA 8877-2022 so it stays valid for longest, and check your own series for its rules.
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Can I use my FIA race suit for karting?
Not in a Motorsport UK karting championship, because a car race suit does not carry a karting homologation and will not pass scrutineering.
What suit do I need for UK short circuit karting?
A leather suit or a suit to a recognised CIK homologation: 2001-1, 2013-1 Level 1 or 2, or FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 or 2.
Can I wear a kart suit in a car race?
No. A kart suit is not fire-rated, and car racing needs an FIA 8856-2018 suit.
How long can I use a CIK-FIA 2013-1 kart suit?
In FIA competitions, until 31 December 2029; check your own series for its rules.
What is FIA 8877-2022?
The current FIA standard for karting clothing, with Grade 1 and Grade 2 suits, and it also covers kart gloves and boots.
An FIA 8856-2018 suit for the car and an FIA 8877-2022 suit for the kart.
Tell us the championship or venue and we will point you to a suit that passes scrutineering, in the right size.
