There has been a lot of talk about Formula 1 in the media lately about the sport and the negativity that has surrounded it in the past year or so. Changes to the sport are coming in 2016 and 2017, to make the sport more exciting and make it more appealing. In the first of a series of articles I am working on, about changes in Formula 1 that are being proposed or needed comes the sound and loudness of the car which is one of the main concerns for fans and attendees of races.
In the last 2 years the new hybrid engines have come into the sport which has changed the way the cars sound. Some people like the sound, some people do not like the sound and some people either don’t mind it or are not too fussed. I like the sound and think that is alright, the one thing I do not like is the volume. I attended the British Grand Prix this year and compared to the other cars on the track over the weekend they sure were the quietest. GP2 and GP3 series are a lot louder and the Porsche GT’s were the loudest.
I asked Twitter what people has as their favourite engine era, here are some of the answers.
@JSPF1_10 replied – “Mine would have to be either the Mid 90’s or the early 2000’s.”
@rossEFC95 said – “The early 2000s… Those V10s…”
@BABlakesley posted a link of the 2002 F1 cars at Monza
The Formula Update Team also got involved in the discussion when I asked them what their favourite engine noise was.
Rob Watts said – “Probably V10s the 2000’s”
Michael Culliford replied with – “Ferrari’s F12 in the 70’s”
Renate Jungert – “I was late to the party so all I’ve got was the V8’s and what we have now”
and Connor McDonagh answered with – “The V10s from the 2000s for me, didn’t watch F1 then though”
A lot of people liked the V10’s or the V8’s but there were not many people who commented about the new V6 Turbo Hybrids we have had over the past 2 years. Formula 1 is not just going to scrap these new engines that teams have poured money into developing and maintaining. One thing that they are looking into is making the noise louder and more appealing for long time fans who miss the buzz and the atmosphere of loud booming engines. Last year they tried putting a cone looking device on the exit of the exhaust to try to amplify the noise, this did not work too much and did not look very nice on the cars. Within these new changes and regulations for the 2016 season and the “massive overhaul” coming in 2017 fans are hoping something can be done about the sound to make Formula 1 more spectacular for spectators and fans.
Images Courtesy of McLaren-Honda
