Why Buy a Motordrive competition seat?
All Motordrive competition seats have been tested to meet FIA homologation safety standards. In addition to this we manufacture in the UK only and offer a fitting service to ensure that your seat will be the right size for you and therefore that you will be both safe and comfortable. We also offer you the option of personalising your seat and are the only manufacturer to offer a re-certification service (two year seat life extension) – see below. Our team is on hand to advise you and is highly experienced in motorsport and seat safety – Service|Safety|Style is what we are about at Motordrive.
How do I know what model and size seat to buy?
You can complete our seat sizing form and send it back to us so that we can help you with which seat we would recommend. You can Contact Us by phone or alternatively you can visit our showroom in Leyland for a seat fitting and have a seat fitted to your specific requirements. Our team is on hand to advise you and is highly experienced in motorsport and seat safety – Service|Safety|Style is what we are about at Motordrive.
Which seat design will fit in my car?
We can provide you with seat measurements for all our designs and sizes or send you out a trial shell to fit in the car. Please contact us to request this information.
What seat designs are available?
For race, rally and most other motorsport you can choose from our Pro, Race or Endurance range. These seats are approved to the FIA8855-1999 safety standard. Our Race and Endurance seats have built-in head protection, and our Pro bucket seat series can be fitted with a bolt-on head restraint, so the choice is largely down to your personal preference and what will work best in your car. If you use your car on the road we suggest that you avoid seats with integral head protection and so look at our Pro Seat range . For top tier FIA international events or ultimate safety in high performance cars then you should look at our advanced FIA8862-2009 Series which is available in 4 point or 6 point mounting. Please note that it is your responsibility to check that your preferred seat will fit in your car. We can offer advice by providing our seat shell size measurements or alternatively we can provide you with a test shell to trial fit. If this is something you are interested in, please contact us or to see our full seat range click through to motordrive seats homepage.
What is the Partnership Series?
Motordrive and Motorsport UK have formed a unique partnership to offer a range of products which are offered at a 20% discount to UK competition license holders. This series will be of interest to those competitors who have budget as their primary focus but want the quality of motordrive products. The products are sold online only and no advice is given with the sale.
Where are Motordrive seats manufactured?
Every aspect of a Motordrive seat is manufactured in Lancashire UK so that we can manage the quality and safety assurance of our seats. Buy British, and sit in the winning seat.
What date will I get on my FIA 8855-1999 seat?
All FIA 8855-1999 seats are now marked with an FIA ‘not valid after’ date which is the year 5 years on from the end of the year of manufacture. The seat will be FIA valid until the 31st December of the ‘not valid after’ year. So if your seat is manufactured any time in 2021 it will be FIA valid until the end of 2026. Motordrive are the only manufacturer to offer an FIA 2 year re-certification service. Please note however that different ASNs (e.g. Motorsport UK) and different classes of motorsport operate under their own regulations nationally and this can affect the validity of your seats for any particular event.
Why can Motordrive offer up to 8 year’s FIA seat life?
All FIA 8855-1999 seats are now given a ‘not valid after’ date which is 5 years from the end of the year of manufacture (all new seats are now FIA valid until the end of a calendar year). So as standard an FIA 8855-1999 competition seat will have between 5 and 6 year’s of FIA life when it is manufactured. Motordrive are the only manufacturer to offer an extension of up to 2 years. This extension is subject to seat inspection and a fee. If you buy a seat in January, you’ll get an initial FIA 6 year’s life then, if you choose to use the re-certification service, you’ll get an extra 2 years of FIA life, taking you to 8 year’s seat life – only at Motordrive!
How do I get my seat’s FIA life extended?
Motordrive offers a re-certification service where you can have the FIA life of your seat extended for up to a maximum of two years of additional life. This service is provided whilst FIA regulations allow, is subject to the seats being returned to Motordrive for a thorough inspection and can only be completed once the original life of the seat has expired. This service is chargeable and Motordrive are the only manufacturer to offer this extension. If you wish to consider this option or have any questions please have your seat serial numbers to hand (off the label on the seat) and give us a call or send an e-mail to: info@motordrive.com.
How do I know when my seat’s FIA life expires?
Your white seat label will show you either a ‘manufactured date’ or a ‘valid until’ date. Seats manufactured in 2012 and 2013 have 5 years of FIA life from the month of manufacture (so the date runs to a month and year). Seats manufactured from 2014 onward are FIA valid until the end of the calendar year stated on the label. If you are uncertain and would like clarification, give us a call with your seat serial number so we can confirm the FIA expiry date for you. Please note that if your seat does not have a silver FIA hologram, it is no longer in date; if it has an FIA hologram you can check the expiry as explained here. Motorsport events not governed directly by the FIA may allow different seat life regulations and therefore we recommend checking with the appropriate motorsport governing body.
What’s the difference between a FIA 8855-1999 seat and a FIA 8862-2009 seat?
FIA8855-1999 seats are the standard of seat most commonly required for regulated motorsport. The FIA 8855-1999 standard requires seats to pass a dynamic set of tests up to 20G force simulating a front, side and rear consecutive impact with an 85kg dummy sitting in the seat. The FIA 8862-2009 standard is for advanced racing seats and requires a series of quasi-static tests which simultaneously apply a combined force of 35kN on the head, shoulder and pelvis areas of the seat forwards and laterally with a final crush test of a combined 30kN. This test is designed to ensure the seat can withstand the most severe of accidents in which a competitor can be expected to survive. FIA 8855-1999 seats are required for any national competition run by an ASN (e.g. Motorsport UK for UK) whereas FIA 8862-2009 seats are required for any FIA championship (e.g. WRC, GT). On manufacture FIA 8855-1999 seats are given a ‘not valid after’ date that is 5 years from the end of the year of manufacture, whereas an FIA 8862-2009 seat has a 10 year life.
What’s the FIA 8855-2021 standard?
Issued in December 2020 the FIA 8855-2021 standard states ‘its aim is to provide objective performance requirements for a new generation of competition seats, which are considerably in excess of those of FIA standard 8855-1999. The standard will ensure improved strength and support during rear impacts together with more extensive support to the pelvis, shoulder and head during side impacts. The seat brackets shall be approved as part of the seat system‘. The FIA are working through a roadmap for the introduction of the new 8855-2021 standard starting in 2022 and ASNs e.g. Motorsport UK will be responsible for the roll-out of the new standard in their own territory. To read more visit our news feature.
Can I buy on-line via Motordrive’s web shop?
We offer only our Partnership Series of products as ‘click and buy’. As we are all so different in our shapes and sizes, we would prefer to discuss your requirements with you personally in order that we can advise/offer the best possible custom product(s) for you and your car and then make it bespoke to you. Our past experiences confirm it pays to check before you buy to make sure you’ll be safe and comfortable and you can do this via telephone, e-mail or by visiting our showroom or one of our approved agents. Your safety is our priority so please don’t compromise; for more details call or e-mail us and we’ll help you select the perfect product from our custom range. SERVICE|SAFETY|STYLE
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, all Motordrive products can be sold internationally, however we invoice in Sterling only with carriage charges available upon request. Please feel free to Contact Us for a shipping quote.
Do you have dealers?
We have a select number of dealers who hold our show seats in specific locations in the UK and overseas as we appreciate that you may not live close to our base in the North West of England and you may want to sit in our seats first.
Click to view our full list of dealers and their contact details.
Why choose Motordrive?
Expertise – The team at motordrive are motorsport seat experts offering a world-class comprehensive range of both FIA 8855-1999 and FIA 8862-2009 seats. The team are themselves competitors and work with high profile teams such as Power Maxed Racing in the BTCC and so can offer knowledge from experience.
Service – Whether you are a competitor, team or manufacturer and whether you are from the UK or are international, the team are on hand to understand your seat requirements and to offer support before and after the manufacture of your seat.
Safety and Performance – Motordrive offer a fitting service to allow you to have the seat fitted to you. In this way you will be held more safely in your seat and will feel at one with the car. All motordrive seats are manufactured in the UK to strict quality standards. Motordrive are members of FIA and Motorsport UK Industry Working Groups to develop seat safety.
Design – Our seats are manufactured in GRP, Kevlar or Carbon. You can choose a coloured gel coat for the seat shell itself. Motordrive offer a full seat and bracket design and homologation service for customers who have projects requiring bespoke solutions
Embroidery – Your seat can have any colour of embroidery to match your car, sponsor’s logo, manufacturer’s logo or your name, remember this is your seat built for YOU. Have a look at our Customer Gallery for seat ideas.
Up to 8 years of FIA life – FIA regulations allow an FIA8855-1999 seat life to be extended up to a maximum of 2 years from the original seat expiry date. A seat is originally FIA valid for 5 years from the end of the year of manufacture (so will have between a minimum of 5 years of FIA life and a maximum of 6 years of FIA life). On expiry, bring your seat(s) back to Motordrive for an inspection and if we are satisfied the seat has not been damaged or modified in any way, we will extend the seat for up to a further 2 years additional FIA life (please note charges apply). This way you can enjoy up to 8 years of FIA life on a Motordrive seat.
