Motor sports body warns of fake safety kit

The SFI Foundation - a body which develops and administers standards for equipment used in motor sports - has warned of counterfeit products that could put racers at risk.

The group reports that fake versions of a head and neck restraint used to protect drivers have been found in circulation and could result in serious injury or death. The fakes are generally bought from online retailers via marketplaces such as eBay and RacingJunk.com.

"Counterfeit devices have been obtained by Simpson Performance Products and the matter is under investigation," it said in a blog post last week. Simpson is makes a broad range of safety equipment for racers, including helmets, suits and restraints.

"If you have a non-carbon head and neck restraint device labelled Hutchens Hybrid Pro with a 2013 SFI 38.1 label, this device may not be genuine," according to the manufacturer, which notes that the fakes have straight stitching rather than 'box X' stitching on tethers, amongst other discrepancies.

"If you suspect that you have such a device and you are currently attending a racing event, immediately present the device to technical officials at the event," said Simpson, which also recommends that thise affected complain to the company from which the device was purchased.

"Counterfeiting is a rampant crime that affects all of us and should be reported and prosecuted," said the company.

While the scale of the problem of counterfeiting in this sector is hard to quantify, the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) indicated it has become a "huge concern" to its member companies in recent years.