How to Choose a Racing Helmet for Motorsport

A racing helmet is not a piece of kit to choose by paint scheme, brand loyalty or the lowest price on the page. It has to meet your regulations, work with the rest of your safety equipment and remain comfortable when the cockpit is hot, noisy and busy. Knowing how to choose a racing helmet properly before race day prevents an expensive, and potentially unusable, purchase.

For circuit racing, rallying and karting alike, the right answer depends on the discipline, the championship rules and the shape of your head. A helmet that is approved but moves under braking, clashes with your FHR device or fogs in damp conditions is not the right helmet for the job.

Start with the rules for your championship

Check the current regulations issued by your organising body before narrowing down the range. Motorsport UK, FIA championships, circuit clubs, rally organisers and karting series can all set different requirements. These may cover the helmet approval, whether an FHR device is mandatory, the type of visor permitted and the age of the helmet standard.

For many car racing applications, FIA 8859-2015 is a common baseline approval, while FIA 8860-2018 is a higher-specification standard used in many serious and international applications. Some events may accept particular Snell-approved helmets, but that acceptance is not universal and can change as regulations are updated. Do not assume a helmet accepted at a track day will be accepted for a race licence event.

Karting requirements also vary. Junior kart competitors may need a helmet carrying a specific CMR approval, while senior classes and outdoor kart series can have their own rules. If you race in more than one category, buy for the strictest relevant regulation where sensible, rather than replacing equipment unnecessarily later.

Look for the approval label inside the helmet and confirm that it matches the wording in your regulations. A helmet can look identical to another model yet carry a different homologation, so always check the exact version.

Choose the right helmet type for the discipline

The main choice is between an open-face and a full-face helmet. Neither is automatically better. The correct option is the one that suits the car, event and regulations.

Full-face helmets

A full-face racing helmet provides a chin bar and a visor, giving greater protection from debris, wind, rain and dirt. It is the normal choice for circuit racing, karting, single-seaters, drifting and many rally applications. It also gives a more enclosed environment for drivers using a front-facing cooling system or racing in poor weather.

The trade-off is reduced airflow compared with an open-face design, particularly when stationary on a hot grid. Ventilation design matters here. Look at the number and placement of intake and exhaust vents, but remember that more vents are only useful if they direct air effectively around the head and visor.

Open-face helmets

Open-face helmets remain popular in rallying, historic competition and some saloon-car disciplines, particularly where drivers need clear communication with a co-driver. They can feel less restrictive and make drinking, speaking and working around intercom leads easier.

However, an open-face helmet needs sensible pairing with eye protection. A fitted visor, peak or quality goggles may be needed depending on the event and conditions. For rally crews, a factory-fitted intercom system or a helmet designed to accept one can be far more practical than adapting a general-purpose helmet.

Fit comes before features

The safest approval in the world cannot compensate for poor fit. Racing helmets should feel firm and evenly supported around the crown and cheeks without causing sharp pressure points. They will normally feel tighter than a road motorcycle helmet or a casual-use lid, especially when new.

Measure the circumference of your head just above the eyebrows and ears, then use it as a starting point rather than a final size. Every manufacturer uses a different shell shape and internal padding profile. One brand may suit a rounder head, while another works better for a longer oval shape.

When trying a helmet on, fasten the strap and keep it on for several minutes. Check that the crown is supported all round, with no gap at the forehead. The cheek pads should be snug on a full-face model, but should not make speaking painful or force you to bite the inside of your cheeks.

Then hold the helmet and move it gently side to side and up and down. Your scalp should move with the lining. If the shell turns independently around your head, it is too loose. Pulling the helmet forward from the rear should not roll it over your brow, and pulling it backwards should not expose the forehead.

Do not buy a size up simply because a new helmet feels close-fitting. Liners settle with use. Equally, do not tolerate a hotspot at the temple or forehead in the hope it will disappear. Thirty minutes in a warm car makes a small pressure point very obvious.

How to choose a racing helmet for FHR use

If you use an FHR device, the helmet must be compatible with it. Many competition helmets are supplied with FHR posts fitted, while others may be designed to accept approved posts. Check this before buying, especially if FHR use is compulsory in your series.

The posts must be correctly installed and positioned. They are not a cosmetic add-on. An FHR works by controlling head movement in a severe frontal impact, and the helmet, tether and device need to operate as a matched system.

Try the helmet while wearing your race suit and FHR if possible. Sit in the driving position, secure the harness and turn your head as you would when checking mirrors, apexes or a rally junction. The device should not force the helmet upwards, interfere with the seat head restraint or make normal vision awkward. A helmet can fit well in a shop but feel different once shoulder belts, seat wings and a HANS-style device are all in place.

Consider visor, ventilation and communication early

A clear visor is the sensible default for most drivers, particularly in mixed British weather and evening sessions. Tinted, smoked or mirrored visors can reduce glare in bright conditions, but they are not a substitute for carrying the right visor for the conditions. Make sure the chosen visor type is permitted by your event regulations.

Anti-fog performance deserves attention. Rally stages, wet circuit meetings and karting in cold weather can all quickly mist a visor. A helmet with a positive visor seal, effective ventilation and an approved anti-fog insert option can make a genuine difference to visibility. Check that replacement visors and tear-offs are readily available for the model you choose.

For rally drivers and co-drivers, communication should be part of the first purchase decision. A purpose-built intercom helmet keeps speakers, microphone boom and wiring correctly positioned. Retrofitting can work in some cases, but it may compromise comfort, create loose wiring or cost more than selecting the right helmet at the outset.

Also consider practical details: a rear spoiler for high-speed stability, a peak for low sun, a drink tube fitting for endurance events, and ventilation ports compatible with a forced-air system. These are not essential for every competitor, but they are difficult to add neatly later.

Weight, shell material and comfort over a full event

A lighter helmet can reduce neck fatigue, especially in endurance racing, rallying over rough stages or karting with repeated high lateral loads. Carbon-fibre and composite shells often offer a lower weight, but the price can rise substantially. A well-fitting fibreglass composite helmet may be the better purchase than a lighter premium shell that does not suit your head shape.

Do not judge weight from a catalogue figure alone. Balance matters too. A helmet that carries its mass close to your head can feel less tiring than a poorly balanced alternative with a similar stated weight. Add an intercom, visor insert, drink system or forced-air connection and the real in-car feel can change again.

Removable cheek pads, washable liners and replaceable parts are valuable for drivers who compete regularly. Helmets absorb sweat and spend plenty of time in trailers, garages and race bags. Being able to clean the interior and replace worn pads helps preserve fit and comfort over its service life.

Buy for the next season, not just the next meeting

A cheap helmet that meets only the minimum rule today may become false economy if you move into a championship with tighter requirements next year. That does not mean every club racer needs the most expensive FIA 8860 model. It means choosing with a realistic view of where you intend to race, whether you will add an FHR device, and how often you compete.

Budget for the full setup: helmet, visor options, helmet bag, FHR posts where required, intercom equipment, tear-offs and spare parts. The initial helmet price is only part of the cost, and availability of replacements matters when a visor is scratched the week before an event.

At Motorsport Supplies, the useful starting point is always your discipline, series regulations and existing safety equipment. If you are between sizes, changing categories or unsure whether a particular helmet works with your FHR or intercom, ask before ordering. The right helmet should disappear from your attention once you are strapped in, leaving you free to concentrate on the next braking marker, pace note or kart ahead.

A helmet is most valuable when it fits so naturally that you forget it is there - until the moment its engineering is needed.