A sim racing seat does not need a headrest for safety, because nothing hits you from behind on a rig. Still, head support helps. A seat back that reaches up to your head gives you a fixed reference point, supports your neck in a reclined position and keeps a VR headset strap from catching on the backrest. For most racers, a full height seat with an integrated head section is the smart choice.
In this guide we explain when head support matters, when it gets in the way and how the SIMGASM Core seats handle it.
Why does a road car have a headrest at all?
To understand what a sim seat needs, it helps to look at why a car seat has one first.
In a real car, the headrest is a safety part. It stops your head from snapping back during a rear impact. On a sim rig nothing hits you from behind, so that safety role disappears. What stays is comfort and consistency. An adult head weighs around 5 kg, and your neck holds it up for every single lap. Any support that lets those muscles relax during a long stint pays off later in the race.
When does head support help in sim racing?
Head support matters most in three situations that many racers face every week.
Long sessions in a reclined seat
The more you recline, the further your head moves behind your shoulders. With nothing behind it, your neck works hard to keep your view level with the screen. A seat back that reaches up to your head lets you rest against it on the straights. That is one reason a reclined GT position feels relaxed during endurance races. Our guide on GT or formula seating position explains how each layout changes the angle of your body.
VR racing
A VR headset adds weight to the front of your head and a strap at the back. A tall, smooth backrest gives that strap a stable surface. A seat with a hard edge at head height pushes the headset forward each time you lean back, and that blurs your view in the middle of a corner.
SIMGASM | Core Recline Seat - Black
Motion and tactile feedback
With bass shakers or a motion platform, a head area that is part of the seat moves together with your body. A loose pillow on the other hand slides around and starts to rattle.
When does a headrest get in the way?
More support is not always better, and a few setups work best with less of it.
In a formula position you lie further back and look over your feet. A thick headrest that points forward pushes your chin down, which hides the apex from view. A similar thing happens in a seat that is too small for a tall driver: the top edge presses on the back of your head instead of supporting it. Sit in your normal driving posture and check that the head section meets the back of your skull, not your neck.
How do the SIMGASM Core seats handle head support?
Both Core seats have a full height back with an integrated head section, so you never need a separate headrest.
Core Recline Seat
The Core Recline Seat adjusts continuously from near vertical to fully relaxed. Because the head area is part of the backrest, the support stays in the same place relative to your head at every angle. The leather and suede finish feels soft against your neck, which suits long sessions. With the SIMGASM Office Kit, the same seat also works as a desk chair.
SIMGASM | Core Recline Office Chair - Black
Core Bucket Racing Seat
The Core Bucket has a SIMGASM branded head section as part of its shell, pronounced side bolsters and a fixed driving angle. It keeps your head and shoulders in one spot during heavy braking, which suits a sharp, focused position. Compare both models on the reclining sim racing seat and bucket seat overview.
How do you set your head position correctly?
A good head position starts with the rest of your body, so work from the hips up.
First push your hips fully into the seat. Then set the backrest angle until your shoulders touch the back while your hands rest on the wheel at nine and three. Now check your head: it should touch the head section lightly, with your eyes in line with the upper half of your screen. Do you feel tension in your neck after a session? The cause often starts lower in your back. Our article on how to avoid back pain in a sim racing seat walks you through the fixes.
When you build a new seat, follow our guide to assembling a SIMGASM Core seat, so the backrest sits square from day one.
Johan Akkerman, founder and CEO of SIMGASM, races in the real world too. He won the DNRT BMW E30 Cup in 2023 and 2024, and that experience shaped his view that comfort, adjustability and seating geometry matter just as much as stiffness. Earlier, at Trak Racer, he was responsible for the design of the TRX seat, so seat shape is a topic he knows from the drawing board up.
Most racers pair a Core seat with the Hobby, the best selling SIMGASM cockpit, built from 40 by 40 mm aluminium profile.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Black
Questions about headrests on sim racing seats
These short answers cover the questions racers ask most about head support.
Is a headrest required for sim racing?
No. There is no crash risk on a rig, so head support is a comfort choice and not a safety part.
Do you need a head pillow on a bucket seat?
Usually not. A bucket with an integrated head section already supports you, and a loose pillow tends to move and rattle.
Is head support important for VR?
Yes. A smooth, tall backrest gives the headset strap a stable surface when you lean back.
Do the Core seats have a headrest?
Yes. Both have a full height back with an integrated head section, so there is nothing extra to buy.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
