Back in 2018, FIA introduced a new homologation for the safety equipment to replace the dated 8856-2000 standard. The 8856 standard applies to the all the fire retardant clothing worn; shoes, gloves, underwear and suits. As it's typical of FIA, the new rules were gradually introduced and made mandatory, starting with F1 drivers. As of 2023, virtually all the FIA certified manufacturers are making apparel that meets the new standards as the 8856-2000 will be obsolete by 2029.
- Racing Suits - A 20% increase in the drivers's heat transmission protection
- The overall HTI (heat transmission) is now from an average of 11 seconds to a 12 second minimum.
- Underwear, socks and balaclavas now have a 5 second HTI minimum.
- Balaclavas are now designed to reduce neck loads during helmet removal. Their design has also been changed to offer further protection of the driver in critical coverage gaps.
- Underwear testing is no longer done while being stretched.
- Socks are now required to be knee length.
- All shoes must now have higher ankle supports and also have a minimum HTI of 11 seconds. There are new marking and placement system for the homologation tags.
- FIA has now updated their hologram tag to a golden color that goes together with the tag. Tags are now strategically placed for easy viewing by officials.
- All apparel now has an expiration date which is 10 years after the date of manufacture.
These new standars are a continuous improvement on the safety of the drivers on the track and are based on continuous research and development. Our inventory from brands like OMP, Alpinestars and Stand21 is full of FIA 8856-2018 safety equipment, all of which can be browsed here.