The Five Most Affordable FIA Race Suits
FIA 8856-2018 approved from £333.60
The cheapest FIA 8856-2018 race suit on the site has three layers. That is not a mistake in the listing, and the two suits directly above it in price both have two. The OMP Sport at £333.60 has more layers than the OMP First S at £384 or the Sparco Sprint Advanced at £392.40. Whether that matters depends on what you are entering.
This page covers five suits from £333.60 to £492, all FIA 8856-2018 approved and available on the site. The range covers OMP, Sparco and Alpinestars. Five products were sorted out before the list begins: a mechanics suit, two suits approved to SFI only, and two approved to the previous FIA 8856-2000 standard.
Garreth's view, having sent a fair number of first suits out of the showroom: most club racers do not need to think hard about whether to spend £333.60 or £384. The OMP Sport is a solid suit and the three-layer construction is genuinely useful for some series. If the ceiling is tight, it is hard to argue against.
- The cheapest FIA 8856-2018 race suit on the site is £333.60 (OMP Sport), not the £166 that appears first in the category price sort
- The OMP Sport at entry has three layers; the two suits directly above it in price (OMP First S £384, Sparco Sprint £392.40) have two
- More layers does not always mean more protection, but some championships specify a minimum layer count
- The three-layer option returns at £490.20 with the Sparco Futura, which uses a higher-grade fabric than the OMP Sport
- Alpinestars enters the list at £492 with the Atom, the only suit here available in white or grey
What the category includes and what we excluded
The Racing Suits category has 33 products. Most of them qualify, but five sort ahead of the OMP Sport in a price search and none of them belong in this guide.
The first is the Sparco Martini Racing Mechanics Suit at £166.02. It is a mechanics suit for pit lane crew. It carries no FIA approval for in-car competition use. A scrutineer would not pass it at any Motorsport UK event.
The OMP Proban at £192 and the OMP OS10 Single Layer at £193.20 come next. Both carry SFI 3.2A/1 approval only. SFI 3.2A/1 is the US standard, referenced by some American championships. It is not the FIA 8856-2018 that Motorsport UK and most European series require. A suit can hold both approvals at once; these two hold one.
The last two are the Sparco Superspeed RS-9 and the OMP One S1, both approved to FIA 8856-2000. That is the previous generation of the standard. Some older series still reference it; most Motorsport UK event regs that have been updated in recent years specify 8856-2018. If your championship explicitly accepts 8856-2000, both suits are on the site. This page covers the current standard only.
The five suits, cheapest first
| Suit | Price | Approval | Layers | Size range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMP Sport Race Suit | £333.60 | FIA 8856-2018 | 3 | S to XXL |
| OMP First S Race Suit | £384 | FIA 8856-2018 | 2 | 44 to 64 |
| Sparco Sprint Advanced | £392.40 | FIA 8856-2018 | 2 | 44 to 66 |
| Sparco Futura Race Suit | £490.20 | FIA 8856-2018 | 3 | 48 to 64 |
| Alpinestars Atom Race Suit | £492 | FIA 8856-2018 | 2 | 44 to 64 |
Prices inc VAT, verified on the site 20 September 2026.
The layer count is the thing to sort out first, because it shapes the rest of the decision. Three layers means more insulation between you and heat. That usually means a heavier and warmer suit. Two-layer suits are lighter and cooler to wear, and the FIA standard sets a minimum protection time regardless of layer count. More layers does not always mean a safer suit, but for championships that specify a layer count, the number on the label matters.
OMP Sport Race Suit, £333.60. Three-layer construction, FIA 8856-2018 approved. Colours are black, blue and red. The size range runs S to XXL in standard clothing notation, which is the OMP Sport’s own system. The other four suits on this list use numeric European sizing from 44 upward, so this one works differently. Cameron will want to check your measurements against the counter samples before confirming a size. There is nothing complicated about this suit. It is the one that gets you on the grid.
OMP First S Race Suit, £384. Two layers, five colour options including yellow and silver. Size range 44 to 64, numeric. The First S has been in OMP’s entry range longer than the Sport, and the numeric sizing is more useful for people who already know their measurements from other suits. The £50.40 premium over the Sport buys a lighter suit in a wider colour choice, not more layers.
Sparco Sprint Advanced Racing Suit, £392.40. Two layers. Seven colour options, the widest selection here, and sizes go to 66 where the OMP First S stops at 64. The £8.40 over the First S is essentially a brand preference at this price. Both suits are two-layer FIA 8856-2018 and both serve the same events. If you are a larger build or want a two-tone colourway, the Sprint Advanced covers it.
Sparco Futura Race Suit, £490.20. Three layers, back from the two-layer section above. The Futura uses a different weave to the OMP Sport and sits differently on the body. It is the three-layer suit for someone who found the OMP Sport ran warm on longer events and wants a better fabric at the same layer count. Four colours. The size range starts at 48, so it does not work for the smaller end of the range.
Alpinestars Atom Race Suit, £492. Two layers, the third brand in the list. The Atom is Alpinestars’ current FIA entry suit. Five colour options including white and grey, which nothing else here offers. If the brand matters to you or the livery needs matching, the Atom gets Alpinestars on the grid at the lowest price we stock.
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From £333.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £384.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadyTry in-storeSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £392.40 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadyTry in-storeSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £490.20 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £492.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadyTry in-storeSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
The step worth taking
Two things change between the bottom and top of this list: layer count and fabric grade. The layer count goes three, two, two, three, two as the price rises. The fabric grade and construction quality go up more evenly.
If your championship specifies three layers, the OMP Sport at £333.60 already meets that. There is no cheaper three-layer option on this site. The Futura at £490.20 is the next three-layer suit and it uses better materials, which is why it costs £156.60 more.
Garreth would spend that £156.60 for someone who races regularly through summer or does endurance events and has found the Sport heavy and warm over a long stint. For someone doing occasional sprints or hillclimbs, the Sport is hard to argue against. The suits above £333.60 that are two-layer are worth choosing if you want the lighter construction and the wider colour range, not because they offer more protection.
Getting the fit right
Race suits are not sized like street clothes. The two measurements that matter are chest circumference and height. Take both in centimetres before you call.
The OMP Sport uses S, M, L, XL, XXL. Every other suit on this list uses numeric European sizing from 44 upward, where size 52 fits roughly like a medium in street terms, but the exact match depends on your proportions. OMP and Sparco size differently from each other even at the same nominal size.
When you call or come in, tell Cameron which suit you are looking at and give him your chest and height. He will check against the counter samples. The fit inside the car matters more than the tag size. A suit that rides up at the shoulders when you are buckled in is the wrong size, even if the label is correct.
For the Futura, the range starts at 48. Smaller frames should look at the First S or the Sprint Advanced instead.
Do FIA race suits have an expiry date?
FIA 8856-2018 race suits carry a manufacture date on the FIA label. Most championships accept the suit for five years from the date of manufacture, not the purchase date. Check the label on any suit you buy secondhand. New suits from stock carry manufacture dates close to purchase, but not always the same month.
Can I use these suits for non-competitive track days?
Yes. FIA 8856-2018 suits are fine for open track days. Some operators recommend a race suit as good practice and a few specify a minimum standard. There is no requirement to wear one at most non-competitive days, but if you have it, use it.
How much does the rest of the safety kit add to the total?
Gloves are from £78 (FIA 8856-2018 approved) and race boots from £108, both on this site. A helmet and HANS device are required in most championships. Call us on 0115 647 8650 and we can price up the full kit from current stock.
All five suits are on the site. If you want to try them on before ordering, the showroom is on Nottingham Road. Call us on 0115 647 8650 and Cameron will confirm availability and go through the sizing with you before you make the trip.
