Motorsport participants will no longer need to replace a safety harness every five years, with Motorsport Australia announcing a five-year extension to the FIA 8853-2016 harness standard.

The decision follows extensive research carried out by the Australian Institute for Motor Sport Safety (AIMSS) which supports harnesses of this make to be used for an additional five years beyond the expiry date currently displayed on the harness, in effect making participation easier and more affordable for Motorsport Australia members.

Motorsport Australia Risk and Safety Manager Jamie Augustine states the harness extension was approved following extensive testing.

“At Motorsport Australia, we have the safety of competitors at the forefront of our regulations, and we trust this extension will be welcome news to many of our members,” Augustine said.

“After rigorous testing, Motorsport Australia has approved the extension to FIA 8853-2016, which will reduce the overall cost of going racing, without a compromised level of safety.”

The extension means the harness must still pass scrutineering checks for wear or damage prior to any event, and the FIA hologram must still be visible as per previous requirements.

The extension applies for all events, up to and including national level competitions.

For international level competitions, no extension is applied.

Harness regulations can be found here.