PROTECTIVE GEAR

Choosing racing protective gear

Rib protectors come from Alpinestars, OMP Racing, Sparco and Stilo, and you'll find them among the body protectors. OMP Racing and Sparco both make carbon versions. Alpinestars offers a kids' version alongside its adult models. Selected rib protectors are FIA homologated, so if your championship asks for homologated rib protection, look for FIA in the product name.

Neck collars are made by Alpinestars, OMP Racing and Sparco, and Sparco also makes them in kids' sizes. OMP Racing's range includes Nomex collars and collars with rear support behind the head.

HANS devices come from Simpson and Stand21. The Stand21 devices are set at 20 degrees. The angle of a HANS device should match how upright you sit in the car, so check it against your seating position. Restraints of the Hybrid design have a separate section under Hybrid devices. Bell makes clips that fit both HANS and Hybrid devices to a helmet, and other add-ons for your helmet are in helmet accessories.

Elbow pads and knee pads come from OMP Racing and Sparco, and Sparco offers FIA homologated versions of both.

The rest of your kit sits in neighbouring sections: base layers in fireproof underwear, overalls in race suits and head protection in helmets. Protective vests have their own section, or you can go back to the full driver gear range.

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What neck protection do F1 drivers use?

Formula 1 drivers wear a frontal head and neck restraint of the HANS type. It is tethered to the helmet and held in place by the shoulder straps of the harness. The HANS devices in this category are built on the same frontal restraint principle.

Can a neck collar replace a HANS device?

No, they do different jobs. A neck collar is a padded ring around the neck, used mainly in karting, that limits head movement. A HANS device is anchored to the helmet and holds the head back in a frontal impact, which a collar cannot do.