Is it time to replace your race suit? Let’s get you track-ready. Which version do you need?
The ABE is the road-focused seat with German component approval. The FIA version is the competition seat. Do not buy from the name alone: check the label, the car, the mounting stack and how your shoulders sit against the harness openings.
The FIA withdrew Recaro Pole Position homologation CS.997.00 in 2014, whatever date is printed on that seat. Current Pole Position seats have a different homologation. If you are buying used, photograph the full label before money changes hands.
The direct comparison
Approval decides the job. Your body and car decide whether it fits.
| Question | Pole Position ABE | Pole Position FIA |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Road and non-competitive track use | Competition where FIA 8855-1999 is accepted |
| Approval | German ABE/TÜV component certification | FIA 8855-1999 homologation |
| What proves it | ABE document, vehicle assignment and installation conditions | Homologation label and valid-until date on the seat |
| Factory belt | Recaro lists three-point belt use for approved applications | Built around a competition restraint installation |
| Fit | More open at the hips in our showroom comparison | Closer through the lower shell for many drivers |
| Buying check | Car, baseframe, sidemount, belt and SRS | Event rules, label number, date, supports and harness geometry |
The old guide reduced the decision to a 36-inch or 38-inch waist. We do not use those figures as a promise. Two drivers with the same jeans size can sit completely differently because the pelvis, thighs and torso length do not match.
What the ABE approval covers
ABE is specific. It is not another spelling of ECE.
01Vehicle assignment
Recaro approval 91288*07 lists particular vehicles, adapter references and conditions. A model missing from that document is not covered by the German component approval.
02Recaro mounting parts
Recaro states that ABE certification applies with its baseframe and sidemount. Substituting a universal frame changes the approval basis.
03Original restraint system
A seat swap can remove a side airbag, occupancy sensor or belt buckle. The ABE document itself calls out extra inspection where original equipment is disabled.
For a UK road car, Garreth and Cameron start with what stays in the vehicle. If the original three-point belt can be retained and routed correctly, that often makes the road installation easier to live with. Airbag and pretensioner faults still need a proper solution. A resistor that turns a light off is not engineering evidence.
Read the current Recaro Pole Position ABE specification and the vehicle assignment linked from it. The trim choice does not alter the approval conditions.
Read the FIA label before the logo
Pole Position has appeared under more than one homologation.
Find the label
Photograph the complete FIA label. You need the homologation number and product-valid-until date, not a cropped Recaro logo.
Read the FIA list
The current Technical List 12 includes Recaro Pole Position CS.503.22. It separately records the withdrawal of CS.997.00.
Match the event rules
Confirm FIA 8855-1999 is accepted for your championship and class. Newer seat standards exist, and series rules can be stricter.
Use the specified supports
The list states whether lateral, lower or back supports apply. Fit the seat with the correct side mounts and hardware.
The label controls the individual seat. A seat can sit in stock before sale, and a used seat carries the date it already has. Ask for the label when date matters to your purchase.
Checked against FIA Technical List 12 on 4 August 2026. The FIA withdrawal notice names CS.997.00 and applies regardless of manufacture date.
Sizing it in the showroom
The shoulder slot is as important as hip room.
Sit all the way back
Do not perch on the front cushion to create space. Settle the pelvis against the backrest and place both feet where the pedals would be.
Check hip and thigh pressure
Firm contact is expected. A hard pressure point does not improve after the side mounts are bolted into a car.
Check shoulder height
For a competition installation, make sure the shoulder straps can leave the body and pass through the slots without being forced around an edge.
Build the driving position
Add the planned side mounts and baseframe height. Then check helmet clearance, steering reach and leg angle.
We have both shapes in Nottingham because a dimensions chart cannot show how the bolsters meet your body. Tall does not always mean too tall, and a larger waist does not always mean the ABE will fit. Torso length catches more people out than overall height.
Mounting the seat
The seat is one part of the order.
Bring us
- The exact car, year and body style
- Pictures under the current seat
- Your belt or harness plan
- The lowest acceptable driving position
- Any retained airbag or occupancy sensor
Do not assume
- ABE covers every vehicle
- Universal side mounts fit every frame
- Runners always raise the seat by the same amount
- A current FIA label makes a road installation legal
- The passenger side is identical to the driver side
Side mounts set tilt and height, the baseframe puts that assembly over the floor holes, and runners add movement. Stack them without measuring and the seat may finish too high even though the shell fits between the tunnel and door.
Common questions
Is the Pole Position ABE FIA approved?▾
No. Its approval is the German ABE and TÜV component certification. Recaro ties that certification to listed vehicles and the specified Recaro baseframe and sidemount. It is the road-focused version, but ABE is not an FIA competition homologation.
Does ABE mean the seat is automatically road legal in the UK?▾
No blanket approval follows the seat into every UK car. ABE is German approval with a vehicle list and installation conditions. For a UK installation, check the vehicle, mounting system, original belt, airbags and insurer. Do not translate ABE into ECE approved; the old guide did that incorrectly.
Which Pole Position is for competition?▾
Use the current FIA-labelled version when the event requires FIA 8855-1999. Read the homologation number and valid-until date on the actual seat, then check FIA Technical List 12 and the event rules. The name Pole Position on its own proves nothing.
What is the warning about CS.997.00?▾
The FIA withdrew Recaro Pole Position homologation CS.997.00 in December 2014, regardless of the date on the seat. It cannot be used where FIA 8855-1999 compliance is mandatory. Current Pole Position seats use a different homologation, so check the complete number.
Is an FIA seat valid for five years from purchase?▾
No. Purchase date is not the test. The homologation label on the individual seat gives its validity, and FIA Technical List 12 says that product validity must follow that label. Check it before ordering and again when the seat arrives.
Which version fits a wider driver?▾
The ABE shell usually feels more open around the hips in our showroom. Waist size is only a starting point because torso length, hip shape and leg position change the result. Sit in both. The shoulder openings must also suit your harness route.
Can I use the ABE seat with a harness?▾
Recaro lists the ABE version for three-point and four-point belts in its road-use specification. Any motorsport harness still needs the correct seat openings, anchor points and strap angles. Check the harness maker instructions and event rules.
Do the side mounts come with the seat?▾
No. Plan the complete stack: seat, Recaro-compatible side mounts, vehicle-specific baseframe and any runners or adaptors. The final height and steering-wheel position depend on all of them.
Send the label and the car
We need the full FIA label for a competition seat. For an ABE installation, send the vehicle details and the mounting parts you plan to use. A showroom fitting settles the body fit.
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