I'd agree with the groom. Alcantara lets you slide around much less than leather. I don't know about its flame retardantsy though. All things being equal, leather is fairly flame-proof (for the length you need anyways). Suede is too. Alcantara though is fake suede and is a man made fabric. I don't know how flame-prone it is. I'd have to think it is less fireproof than leather though.

In the type of track driving most of us would do with these cars though I don't think we really need to worry to much about the flame retardantsy of Alcantara... It's like the old saying about flame-retardant liners in helmets; "If the inside of your helmet is on fire it's probably the least of your worries..."

People like Alcantara for the racer look much like carbon fiber. A race bucket in leather, Alcantara or cloth will all hold you down quite well. I like the tactile feel of Alcantara more than anything else.