By Tom Hardman.
Why Talk About Body Armour?
When discussing historic motorsport safety, most attention falls on helmets, roll cages, and harnesses. Body armour is rarely part of the conversation – yet it can make a significant difference when accidents happen.
This article shares my personal experiences of racing with body armour, the lessons learned through incidents on track, and the views of semi-professional driver Patrick Blakeney-Edwards. Together, these perspectives highlight why protection beyond the basics is worth serious consideration for historic racing drivers.
Why Safety Became Personal
For me, perhaps unusually, body armour has been part of my racing routine since 2004.
That year, at Cadwell Park, Len Thompson lost his life. His passing deeply affected me, and although still new to the sport, it made me re-think how I approached personal protection. I began wearing basic karting armour available from Demon Tweeks, and it became a habit I’ve never dropped.
Lessons from My Own Accident
In 2007, I experienced my own serious crash at Cadwell Park while driving an Austin 7 racing special. Unexpected failure of a new braking system meant I arrived at the Mountain with no stopping power. As a young driver, I made a mistake; instead of using the grass run-off, I turned in, and the car spun and then rolled – taking me with it.
The result was a shattered knee, broken collar bone, shoulder blade and cracked ribs. Yet, the body armour I was wearing prevented much worse. Medics told me that cracked ribs could easily have been broken ribs, and the bruised spine could have easily been a broken C4 vertebrae – which is a very serious injury indeed.
It was a sobering reminder that while historic racing is about enjoyment, camaraderie, and tradition, it is also a sport where risk is ever-present.
Reconsidering Protection After Loss
Over the years, I replaced and upgraded my armour, and for a while I moved to horse-riding style equipment. Nothing I tried ever felt quite right.
This year has brought some hard knocks in historic motorsport, and motorsport in general, following the tragic deaths of a number of participants, including one personally known to myself and our close community of enthusiasts. As the season progressed, I found myself asking: Could I do more to protect myself? So I embarked on a period of more serious research, followed by testing a series of modern protective options to find something that balanced comfort, practicality, and the best possible protection.
I wanted to share these with you here, to open up this conversation in historic racing circles, and give my first hand impressions of the armour I tried, and what I finally settled with.
Testing the Options: What Works on The Body and the Track
The first trial was the Sparco SJ Pro K-3 Rib Protector Jacket. While lightweight and flexible, I felt it left my chest and kidneys too exposed to steering wheel impact, which is one of the main sources of vulnerability in cars with no harness or roll cage. I moved on.
Then, I tested the Alpinestars A-1 Pro Chest Protector, which offered improved fit and comfort. However, in this case, the lack of shoulder impact protection was a concern, so it too was returned. I know only too well the reality of being upside down with your car….
Finally, I discovered the Leatt 5.5 Body Protector, a piece of body armour designed for motocross and dirt bike applications. It was a much more substantial offering – and at first seemed a little bit too much. I felt a bit like a body builder once I had it on (not that I complained about the improved ‘look’ in my race suit!) Heavier than the others, it stood out for the way it proposes to manage impacts: a deforming rubber outer layer supported by an impact foam backing. It covers the chest, spine, kidneys, and shoulders comprehensively. Impressed enough to try it in an event, I wore it at this year’s VSCC Cadwell Park in June.
I was very pleased to discover that not only did the weight disappear once I was in the car, the airflow kept me cooler than I would have been otherwise on a hot day. The open plates pushed my race suit away from my body, causing access for air flow underneath. Yes, it is the most expensive option, but the value of protection it gave made it a justifiable expense, along with the bonus of heat control and relative comfort. This is the set I have settled on and the one I now use at all events.
Patrick Blakney Edwards’ Perspective
To add another view point, Helen spoke to with Patrick Blakeney-Edwards to get his view point on the subject at Prescott Hill Climb in August this year. She wanted to find out what body armour he wears, for a comparison to the one that I had chosen.
Patrick made it clear – he considers it an essential piece of kit. He wears armour by Forcefield, designed with a continuous front plate and extensive coverage across the back, shoulders, elbows, and wrists.
“It’s not about being over careful,” he explained, “it’s about doing the blindingly obvious. An accident can happen on someone else’s oil, or entirely outside your control – so why wouldn’t you give yourself the maximum opportunity to walk away?”
When asked about how comfortable it is to wear, Patrick admits that wearing his particular armour requires slightly larger overalls, and it can be awkward to get on and to remove post-race. But, as he points out, once on the circuit, with adrenaline running, you don’t even notice it’s there. To him its clearly entire worth it – a non-negotiable part of his race kit – along side his helmet and fireproof overalls.
Why Body Armour Matters for Historic Motorsport Drivers
The fact remains, that body armour will never remove risk altogether from the sport that we enjoy so much. Drivers in-period knew the risk only to well, and we know many were injured or lost their lives in the pursuit of motorsport.
In the modern day we have the clear advantage – and I would love to see more people exploring the options, as I have done. I can only hope that sharing this has been a help to someone out there who has been wondering where to begin on the subject of body armour.
I’ve included the links here (in bold) to the armour I have mentioned, for your benefit, but please be assured I have no affiliation with any of these companies other than as a customer myself.