If you intend to go motor racing this year, you'll need to consider buying a racing seat. There are a huge range of companies out there which supply racing seats, whether you ultimately intend to use the car for racing, track days, road use, or a mixture of the above. One thing to have in mind is that the price of any two racing seats will vary tremendously according to their relative specifications - and, most notably, the materials used in their construction. Indeed, prices range from around £100 GBP up to several thousand, depending on the specific manufacturer or brand, and on the specification.
In the main, the seats are designed with universal fittings. Essentially this means that the seats have not been specifically designed for any one road or race vehicle in particular, and can instead be installed to a wide range of road and race cars with relative ease. The manufacturers of race seats achieve this by designing and supplying different seat rails (the mounting brackets) for different models of road and race car. This removes the need for the seat itself to be customised for each different type of vehicle.
Certain racing seats use side-mount brackets which are fixed to the side of the seats, and allow it to slide forwards and backwards freely according to each driver's requirements. Alternatively, other race seats sit on top of running rails, which are bolted in place underneath the seat. In the latter case, be extra cautious if you intend to purchase the seat and the rails separately, as they may not be 100% compatible. In any case, the majority of race seats are sold as packages, which include the mounting brackets (and associated fixings) so this will not be a major concern in most cases.
Next, after you have made a decision over the preferred mounting type and budget, you'll need to decide over which restraining device (or seat belts) are required. If you are going to take the car racing, this requirement will most likely have been made for you by the MSA, the FIA, or the rules governing your specific racing series. Factory-fitted belts may suffice in the short term, but it is highly likely that you will need to upgrade to a full racing harness at some point as your racing career develops. Remember, racing seat belts provide significant improvements in lateral support - this is needed to help keep you in place during high-speed corners. In general, you'll probably want to budget for a 4 or 5 point racing harness if you intend to take part in anything but the most basic events.
The final consideration will be the comfort level you need to achieve from the seats - and this will largely be determined by where, when, and how often you intend to use the vehicle. If the car is to be used solely for racing, a common mistake is to discount comfort as unimportant. Remember that you'll probably want to use the car on the road from time to time (even driving to and from race events, depending on your budget). Try out a couple of different designs from your short-list, and then work out which is best according to your use of the car - be it on track, off track, or both.
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