What F1 spectators say about the engine noise debate

2014 F1 season

Posted on

| Written by

Formula One was plunged into a storm of negative publicity at the beginning of the season when Bernie Ecclestone furiously criticised the quieter sound of the new generation of V6 turbo engines.

Last month in Spain he convened a meeting of F1 race promoters during which they discussed “various aspects of Formula One the benefit of all fans who are concerned about maintaining the unique feeling of Formula One”.

This was clearly a reference to the debate over engine noise. The following week Mercedes tried – and rejected – a revised exhaust designed to make a louder noise. Nonetheless the FIA have pledged to continue looking for louder alternatives.

But while this is all being done in the name of ‘improving the show for the fans’, no one has yet produced any evidence that large numbers of fans feel the engines are too quiet. Ferrari claimed to have, but did so without even asking fans about the noise and few seemed to have paid any attention to their findings.

An F1 Fanatic poll, which did not distinguish between fans who have and have not heard the new cars for themselves, found the majority were positive towards the new engines, but a significant minority responded negatively to them.

But can we get a sense of what fans who go to races actually think of the new engines? Are they so turned off by the new formula that many won’t be buying tickets for next year’s races?

F1 Fanatic has canvassed feedback from readers who’ve attended test sessions and races since the season began. Here is a representative sample of their responses so far.

Go ad-free for just £1 per month

>> Find out more and sign up

Jerez test

The difference between the V6 and the V8 is huge. The V8s are screaming and the V6s have a deeper sound, but both are special.

The V8s were as loud as you could get, but as I didn’t have earplugs, my ears were annoyed after a day of F1 action. Though they were very impressive, you could hear the cars from miles away.

The V6 is very enjoyable to listen to. You hear much more different sounds. At full speed the cars still sound incredible, not screaming but a more heavy noise. As the cars are braking you hear a sort of whizz, in the middle of the corner the cars sound like a standing aeroplane, and you hear the turbo and ERS working together with the engine when the cars accelerate.

Although the sound is very different, it is still unique and impressive in my opinion.

TV viewers might be disappointed with the sound, but in real life the sound is much better. I think they have to tweak the TV coverage a bit because on TV the cars don’t sound at all like in real life.
Julien (@Jlracing)

Most people’s experience will be through the television where it has never been the case that you can hear what they sound like in real life even with the old engines.

But the sound of the cars is almost irrelevant because I think most go to see the cars in action and these engines produce more power/torque than the tyres and aerodynamics can handle so they are much, much better to watch. You can see the drivers using their driving skills to tame the beast.

And surely that is the whole point, isn’t it?
Steve Mumford (@Toolmansteve99)

Australian Grand Prix

The noise will take a bit of getting used to. I quite like it and it’s still quite loud when all cars are on track at once. It was a little strange though being able to have a conversation 50 metres from the track while the cars were out. No chance of that with the V8s!

I must say, it does sound much worse on TV though. Hopefully a change in microphones or audio calibration will be an improvement.
@Tommy-C

The sound of the cars under braking and acceleration is pleasing and it sounds like a ‘real’ race car.

But most people are here to have their faces turned to a mix of pain/amazement when an F1 car goes past; now when they go past the reaction is one of mild satisfaction.

I never thought I’d be so eager to watch the ultimate speed comparison with the old V8 engine, and it’s a bit sad I can’t hear the new F1 cars from the other side of the circuit.
@Nackavich

Yes, the sound is much quieter than previous years. However I honestly prefer it, there’s no need for earplugs because they aren’t at deafening screaming levels and even more better because the engines are quieter you can hear the tyres.

In my opinion actually get more enjoyment because its not all overrun by the engines, you can hear everything else as well. And yes, you can hear the announcers, obviously not when cars are right at your point on the track, but unlike previous years.

Also, I prefer the engine note this year as it sounds more like a proper engine, you can hear the revs change as they are accelerating and braking. Last year it was just an increase in the pitch of the scream.
@Jarred-Walmsley

The only thing I really missed was the sound at the start. I was seated at turn one and in past years you’ve been able to hear the cars coming, building up the atmosphere to when they all appear in a flurry of noise, colour and possibly crashes. This year though there was no real sound to get the hair on the back on your neck to stand up as they approached.

Beyond that, I really like the sound. No massive noise means you hear so many other noises from the car. I love the mechanical sound of the turbo you hear, and it’s the first time since the late nineties that I’ve actually heard a lock-up! I could tell the engines apart better and it was better for the family sitting next to me, as their kid wasn’t screaming from the noise.

I like them, beyond the noise, the cars move around a whole lot more, which makes them a whole lot more enjoyable to watch.
@Scottie

The first thing you noticed was they were a lot quieter, however the next thing you noticed was you could hear the sound of the crowd, the tyres and the sound of the braking.

My first impression of the sound is it sounded less like the V8s and more like a very sporty road car. I did notice all hell was breaking loose over the sound on social media back home.

Having watched the TV feed back, I thought they didn’t do the new sound justice at all, I still think the TV companies have yet to find the right sound levels for the TV Feed.

I really don’t mind the sound of the new engines trackside at all. Different yes. But that’s progress.

Its made no difference to me booking to go to races this year at all.
Andy Donnelly (@Dinalli)

Malaysian Grand Prix

I feel that a certain part of the spectacle has been lost with the V8s. They were massively impressive, especially at the end of long straights going from high pitched full revs to deep growling on the overrun and down the gearbox. However I think the fact that we can now hear the track commentary as well as lock ups etc… and have a conversation with the person next to you during the race is excellent. So we’ve lost in one way but gained in another.

I disagree with the claim that they are too quiet. I was surprised by how loud they were when I heard them in Malaysia this year, given all the complaints about it. You can have a conversation with the person next to you, but you still have to shout to be heard! Plus the sound now is also more intriguing to listen too with the whistling of the turbo and the squeal of energy recovery under braking. It sounds a bit monotonous from onboard cameras on TV but at the track it’s fascinating. It also means the most impressive place to listens to cars is now through corners, as that’s when all the power unit components are in action, rather than on straights at full revs.

It hasn’t negatively affected my love of Formula 1 at all. The racing this year has been great and I can’t wait to go to another race.
@DanielPatchett

I very much prefer the new sound which as many others have mentioned, is more ‘wholesome’ sounding like that of sports cars and I really like hearing the hissing sound from the power units which was very distinct at least in Sepang.

My only greatest regret is also the decrease in volume as the V8 F1 engines made a huge impression and gave me a distinct ‘F1 feeling’ every time I stood trackside. The way the exhaust notes reverberated of my rib cage was a surreal experience but it is a bit of a let down to not be able to hear it now as it was exactly that which set F1 apart from all other forms of motorsport for me.
Joachim Ong (@Gactac)

The noise was pretty disappointing. In 2013 you could hear one car from the other side of the track. This year you needed to be on the same stretch of road as the car to be able to hear it.

For example, at the quick sweeping corners in the final sector at Sepang you could hear the car coming from the straight on the back area of the track. You could hear it accelerating down the straight, braking into the 90 degree left-hander and accelerating through the next corner until it flew past you. This year you needed to be able to see the car to be able to hear it.

There’s no scream and the noise just doesn’t carry itself anywhere. I’d go again (I do every year!) but I won’t say it wasn’t disappointing. No chills-up-your-spin stuff any more.
@Toby

Spanish Grand Prix

There is not a ‘complete lack of engine sound’ they’re still fairly loud and the actual sound they produce is now so much better than the previous V8 engines.

These new V6 engines are quieter, but there not anywhere near been silent, They’re still plenty loud, they all sound different and they all have a very nice tone to them, A lower pitched but very satisfying sound.

It was also cool to be able to hear all the extra noises they make now from the turbo and energy recovery systems, A new extra layer which I thought was interesting to hear.

Something else which the kids really enjoyed was not having to wear ear protection, You could actually discuss what was going on without having to try and shout at one another and without the need for ear protection there was no need to wait until it was safe to remove the ear protection before trying to discuss what was going on.

As to it putting people off or taking away the spectacle, I didn’t find that. The cars are still fast, They still look fast and the acceleration, braking and cornering performance is just as impressive as its always been.

If you liked the dull, absurdly loud scream of the V8s just get someone to sit next to you and scream in your ear all race, Its the same noise you got from those horrible sounding V8s.
RogerPGR

Canadian Grand Prix

I don’t know about many fans, but I come to the race expecting my ears to bleed standing next to the track without earplugs.

I’ll admit I used to to wear earplugs during the race in Montreal (Senna corner). All the cars bunched up for two hours was too much. But with earplugs you still felt that sense of resonance from the V10s and the V8s. The tingling of your whole body as they drove by is what makes fans come back. The sheer violence demonstrated and proved that Formula One was the pinnacle auto racing.

I’m watching the Ferrari Challenge as I’m writing this and they are just as loud. The new V6s rev higher which give it that edge. At the same RPM I’d call it a draw. I’m not talking any softer to my brother sitting next to me.

I don’t hear the tires squeal under lock up that much, and honestly I could care less to hear more of that. I can see the trail of smoke, that’s good enough for me.

The turbos spooling is a nice touch, although you can only really hear the Renaults. And ultimately only in mid-corner off-throttle scenarios.

I miss the days of loud. I don’t mind the new formula. I think it’s good to spice it up. I enjoyed listening to the difference of the three manufacturers, trying to guess which car passed by. But formula 1 for me, like many others I spoke to, was about the sound. That angry engine note is now lost and I think the spectacle has lost that edge.
@Ccolanto

I found the sound of the new engines very nice. Quieter then the V8, of course, but still nice to hear.

Liked the turbo whistle, the noise of the brakes, etc…, but feel like missing something, something more emotional, brutal. More sophistication, less passion.

Interesting to note that the three engines sounds absolutely different. The Mercedes are louder, lower pitch, the Renaults are quieter, Ferraris between then.
Gilberto Hingel (@GHingel)

What F1 spectators say about the engine noise debate

A few points come up again and again when reading comments from readers who’ve seen the new cars in action.

Although quieter, the sound of the new engines is considered more interesting and varied than the old V8s, and allows you to hear more of what’s going on at the track. Some fans would like the engines to be a little louder, but many also expressed the view that they sound far better in real life than they do on television.

On the whole, the reaction from spectators to the new engines is a lot more positive than it has been characterised as. It’s telling that Ecclestone fanned the flames in the media without having heard the new engines first-hand himself – and once he had, he was a lot less critical of them.

F1 spectators have a more positive and nuanced attitude towards the new engines than has been reported. It is nothing like as unequivocally negative as the reaction to the hated double points finale has been.

That should give those running F1 further cause to avoid hasty, knee-jerk changes to the engines. At least until advanced ticket sales for 2015 give an indication if the noise row has had any effect at all.

2014 F1 season


Browse all 2014 F1 season articles

Images © Lotus/LAT, Marussia, Daimler/Hoch Zwei, McLaren/LAT

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

92 comments on “What F1 spectators say about the engine noise debate”

  1. Less noise? Yes. Much bigger problems to solve in F1? Definitely yes.

    1. Does FOM care? No. They’d rather debate the noise instead of problems that actually need solving.

    2. For fans of F1 yes @joao-pedro-cq but for attracting new people no. And F1 wants that 50% casual viewers and new potential viewers to further milk the show rather than caring for the sport.

      1. One of the problems I talk about is TV rights. Over the years, F1 has had a transition to pay-tv which prevents people from stumbling upon it and become fans. If you don’t have a renovation of the fan base, it begins to disappear. So I don’t think we can talk about attracting new people until this problem is solved.

    3. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
      18th June 2014, 13:49

      @joao-pedro-cq – I agree; the distribution of the $1 billion+ worth of revenue that F1 turns over each year to the teams comes to mind. However noise is important, as my eight year old reaction to the noise at Brands Hatch in 1976 testifies, a reaction that hooked me for life. Since then F1 has fielded a myriad of noises, all invariably thrilling for those in short trousers and those with receding hair lines alike, but, shall we be honest, the current V6 turbo noise is perhaps the most underwhelming of the lot. Sat trackside at Monaco I didn’t find it a remotely unpleasant noise, quite the opposite, but it equally was not the audible thrill of previous years. However that is because of the volume, not the tone, and with increased volume I think we will see an end to the noise issues from a fan’s perspective. The problem I have is that, at the moment, GP2 cars are louder, and I’m sure attendants of the Spanish Grand Prix with also testify that the new engines in GP3 puts even them within range of the F1 noise level. All we need is more noise, not new noise.

      1. @william-brierty I agree that the sound is fundamental in the spectacle of racing, but I just think there are bigger problems to solve right now in F1, problems which threaten F1’s existance in the long term.

  2. As much as i love the hearing the v8/v10 screaming away sounding like their about to rip themselves apart, I haven’t really notice the lack of sound this season since the races have been exhilarating.
    I actually like the new engine sound and being able to hear so much more, like when the crowd went wild as Riccardo qualified 1st for a few seconds at Melbourne.

  3. Loved the sound in Montreal this year.

    Also, what does “FOM” stand for?

    1. Formula One Management.

    2. Formula One Management

    3. Fill Our Moneybags

      1. Lotus-Grosjean
        17th June 2014, 15:03

        +1

      2. Sounds about right.

      3. Brilliant. That’s perfect

    4. As much as anything else, I love hearing the noise of the crowd! Like in Montreal when Dan passed Nico, the place erupted, yet that would have been all but drowned out by the engines in past years.

    5. Flatulent Old Mother******s

  4. I’m actually looking forward to hearing the new engines in the flesh; I wouldn’t have bothered to go see another race under the v8 formula as the engine note wasn’t pleasant and left me reaching for the earplugs.

  5. I was in Montreal and actually like the sound. Thought it was cool how complex the new sound was. I do, however, think the V8s and V10s sounded better. It was more animal like, even if the cars were “easier” to drive because of lower torque. The screaming of the V8s was special and I would go back in a heart beat.

  6. I have to say I really like them on the TV – finally you can hear the engines as they struggle, when drivers make errors in corners – we can even hear the tires squeal. I hope they don’t change anything.

    1. They sound good on the TV thanks to the FOM sound system, tyre squeal is always nice to hear, but this is F1 and not Tokyo Drift

      1. And that’s why they aren’t drifting, your comment doesn’t make a lot of sense.

      2. @tifoso1989 Um what??? This made no sense.

  7. It always seemed ironic to me that the upper reaches of motorsport was the only sport where the spectators as well as the competitors needed safety equipment!
    In years gone by, I attended various GP’s and practice sessions and often worried that the ferocity of the sound (even with ear protection) in my chest and skull would somehow be doing me damage. I always left with a violent headache.
    So although I haven’t heard the new engines ‘live’, I am a bit happier for the fans in the stands, and if you can hear different aspects of the car, that’s a bonus. But what about the support races, does GP2 now sound aggressively, painfully loud?
    The microphones for the TV feed will probably need adjusting between the support races and the Grand Prix itself.

    1. I imagine tweaking the microphones is a pre-set software thing that can be done at the click of a button.

  8. Hi Keith, others,
    This message is not to give my opinion but rather to testify what I heard at the Spanish GP.
    I talked to a number of people there (spending 4 nights at the camping). The message you have put is definitely not representative of what I could hear then. Every person I talked to deeply missed the sounds of the former engines, V8 or even V10. Several noticed that the tyres could now be heard, which was appreciated. But that was definitely a rather poor consolation for most. No more impressive fall of gear before the turns, no more roaring before the start of the race, or when engines are turned on. One fact is that GP2s are louder and people also noticed that.
    Definitely, the unique message you put is opposite to what I heard the whole week-end in the camping and on the track.

    Regarding the global impression people had (lack of power, higher speed at the end of the straight, impressive acceleration in some parts of the track (but you have to know where or be lucky), less attack, softer overall), it is hard to sort what comes from the engine sound purely and what comes from other changes, everything being mixed.

    As I said, I don’t give my proper opinion on engine’s sounds as I don’t have a definite one. As a matter of fact, the Spanish race was for me the best of the 4 races I attended, although the excitation was definitely much less during testing and qualifying, be it for engine’s quieter sound or for some of the other changes on the cars.

    1. I was interested in the comments from the article but they were very one sided. You have picked out positive comments and so all the comments here seem positive too. I agree that people I’ve spoken too have lost their enthusiasm for engine noise, and formula 1 in general at the moment. Unfortunately, these are people who don’t bother with posting votes on a website, they vote by not buying tickets next year and that will be a problem, maybe not for the FIA as they have TV and sponsors (which is a grumble, as I seem to watch a TV screen full of sponsor’s names and a very tiny F1 car, these days) but for the venues it will be a cause for concern.
      The sound of the engine is just one point to argue about though as F1 seems to have lost it’s magic. I don’t think there is an easy solution and I don’t think the sound of the engine will really help.

      1. Bravo agree completely and put myself in that category. I have been following F1 via the iPad app only this year once I saw the formula during the pre-season testing. Cancelled plans for Montreal and Austin. Folks cannot tell me it does not matter it does to me and I vote with my money.

    2. Yes, the replies seem one sided from an angle I’ve never encountered in real life. Additionally, it is clearly evident from comments to videos and elsewhere online people prefer the V12/10/8 sound. If the sound we lost wasn’t important why is this even a discussion? F1 had a unique calling card in the 19,000 r.p.m. scream in the distance, and threw it away.

  9. I’m going to Goodwood next weekend, and I’m hoping that at least 1 team runs both their V8 and their V6 simply so I can have a good side-by-side comparison. Until then I can’t really pass judgement, but I certainly see the points of view being presented in the article. The sound will always sound better in the flesh than through speakers, simply because speakers are never quite 100% authentic. They’re often close, but never perfect. Give FOM time and they’ll sort out the best place to put the microphones, hopefully play about with the setup to try and replicate the ‘live’ sound, and then we won’t be having these arguments.

    1. You won’t be able to hear the new engines at goodwood because there not allowed to run 2014 cars there. The newest F1 cars you will see/hear at Goodwood is the 2011 cars with the old V8s.

      Regarding the Microphone setup, There actually doing a really good job at getting the sound across right now, On the raw feeds anyway. Its when broadcasters start re-mixing it to get there own commentary tracks over the top that the volume levels are lowered.

      I’ve got to hear the raw direct from FOM satellite feeds & the volume/sound quality on that is 100x better than what we eventually get to hear once Sky, BBC etc… have played around with them to mix there commentary tracks & stuff over the top of it.

      1. Is there a way to get the raw feeds from FOM?

        1. Michael Brown (@)
          18th June 2014, 18:48

          I would also like to see the raw feeds as opposed to the BBC which I currently watch.

        2. Satellite equipment capable of been able to receive them.

    2. this is a good example of how the engine sounds compare:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4Dh_EAfJI
      the old engines make your heart race, very atmospheric, much like going to an airshow and seeing an F-18 hornet.
      the v6s just sound so bland in comparison.

      1. And that’s why the new engines are better, you can watch a race, hear all the additional noises from the car normally drowned out by the engine like turbo etc, talk to your friends about it, hear the commentary and don’t need earplugs. I was at a race and was happy with what I heard, judging via Youtube is pointless, even Bernie admitted he was far too harsh when he finally heard them in person.

        1. You can also stay home and turn the sound off, and see and follow more of the race. Why have sound at all? Feh.

      2. F1 “you’ve lost that formula 1 feeling, oh that formula 1 feeling, you’ve lost that formula 1 feeling and now it’s gone, gone, gone oh gone” I have been watching F1 for 25 years now and they have just taken it too far now, the new cars “SIMPLY SOUND PATHETIC” and I shall not be watching another race until they come to their senses.

  10. DK (@seijakessen)
    17th June 2014, 13:56

    If you can have a conversation with the person next to you, or not need ear protection, the engines are too quiet. The mid-80s turbo engines with unrestricted boost pressure sounded far better.

    1. Volume doesn’t make a sound better, it only makes it louder.

  11. F1 always had a unique sound. That sound is now gone. It was crazy over the top loud engines screaming. F1 is now run by a commitee trying to keep everyone happy, it has lost its way.

    1. “F1 always had a unique sound” Wrong!

      “Each engine formula of F1 has had a unique sound” Right, and so does this one.

    2. “F1 always had a unique sound.” F1 had 4, 6, 8, 10 12 and 16 cylinder engines over the years which sounded different. The high pitched scream which was declared as typical F1 sound by FOM was only lasting 15 years out of 60 so it isn´t unique for sure.

    3. Every race I’ve been to with the real engines it was always a topic of conversation. Talk to anyone having gone to a race back then, that is the first thing they’ll remark about.

      It’s an obvious propaganda campaign to try to convince people that reality is something it’s not. Those people doing that have no idea how ridiculous it is to be insisting the old sounds were not exciting. Same people telling you not to look at the oppressed grid girls and how great DRS and limited fuel is.

  12. Here is what Robert Kubica said in a polish interview for http://sokolimokiem.com/ (translated to english):

    Do you watch Formula 1? Have you heard the new engines?
    Sometimes I watch. They sound weak. I think on the TV it would be fitting to amplify the loudness of the engines and turn down the commentry, because it is hard to watch the race. Before it was great, because you could hear it all. For instance Thierry Neuville told me that he was in Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix. He lives near the track and when the Formula 1 cars were on track, he did not hear them, but when GP2 or World Series cars were on track, it was great. To me, hearing the squeal of tires reminds me a bit of driving on go-kart tracks. Once in Katowice there was a karting hall with tiles and the tires squealed there. This appears to me similar, it seems a bit weak, but that is the way it is.

    1. Perhaps his opinion would count more if he actually went to the track.

      1. id rather hear a racers opinion then your green opinion. you will no doubt love the sound of formula E more then traditional F1 – you ~will hear every little sound, you might even hear the driver talk to his mechanic over his radio – while you are sitting in the grandstand!

      2. His opinion counts more than yours.

  13. I think the sound is right, I mean, I haven’t gone to an F1 event this year, I’ll wait until 2015, but in the meantime, the engines sound very good to me but are really quiet. Every weekend I have trouble listening to the engines with the voices of the commentators. It’s annoying. But I like the sound, it doesn’t sound as bad as I expected, in fact, I like the sound when the cars fly-by, because the sound stays for a while when they are through the straights, until they brake. Also the onboard camera sound is very smooth. Maybe in 2015, when the engines are at equal power and they didn’t need the fuel restriction rule, they could revvy at 15000 rpm from today’s 12000.

  14. I’ve been following F1 for quite some time and after being in Montreal this year and seeing/hearing this years cars in person all I can say is that you can’t help but feel the sport is in decline. The sound and feeling that an F1 car makes as it passes you by is 90% of the spectacle of the F1 event, and this year’s cars are VERY VERY dull and uninspiring. During the course of the weekend it was obvious that all other series (F1 Historic, Ferrari Challenge, and even the lesser Formula cars were all louder and more awe inspiring then this years “modern” F1 cars. I am sorry to say but our sport has definitely taken a significant step backwards this year and unless there is a real shake up at the top of the F1 management chain I don’t see things changing anytime soon. :-(

    1. a simple fix would be to atleast get rid of the 100l/ hour rule – the cars will then rev to 15,000 so will sound more racy and might be a bit louder. they have gone green enough having a smaller formula, ERS and 100litre tanks, why did they have to add this stupid rule which makes the engines never get to their intended 15,000rpm redline. this formula has benifitted 2 drivers, and makes the series as boring as ever with one team granted an advantage because of ridiculously early homologation of the engines – which has thwarted competition and will probably see more engine manufacturers leave rather then join.

      1. when the engines were freely updated, 3 liters V10 gas guzzlers, Schumacher dominated the sport. Are the engines the problems, or the aerodynamics? Less Aero, more show, More Aero, less show, the engines are irrelevant for that (remember, half of Senna’s career where with 1.5L turbos, not with screeming V10 monsters)

        1. @matiascasali
          The engines has been always freely updated until the V8 era and not only in the period between 2000 and 2004. The 1.5L Turbos that you’re talking about were even more monsters than the monsters V10’s, Senna’s Renault Sport V6 engine could go up to 1200 BHP in qualifying and around 900 BHP in the race.
          The BMW engine could go up to 1350 BHP in qualifying !!! Insane

          1. Yes it’s insane. That’s why they are no longer used.

      2. Never. This is the most important part of the new regulations. The revs should be limited to 13.000, in contrary, as the engine efficiency will grow, anti-lag should be allowed.

  15. How many tickets does the F1 sells per year? how many people watch it on the tv? i guess that’s more relevant. I guess that as long as they’re loud, not painfully loud, they’ll be ok for the people actually going to the races, and as for me, a tv f1 follower (Here, in argentina, the nearest GP is in brazil, and it’s waaaaaay out of my budget to pay the high ticket prices, plus the 2000km trip to Interlagos) and that’s the way it’ll remain for some years from now (for me at least), so, as long as the FOM want me to listen to an F1 with the engine of a Citröen 2cv, i’ll have to suck it up, and watch the races anyway, because sure as hell i don’t watch races just for the sound…

  16. invisiblekid
    17th June 2014, 16:41

    I though on TV they sounded quite a bit better in Canada as they had so many track mounted cameras and as the cars raced by you got a great whoosh.

    I quite like the sound, but it’s too quiet if that makes sense? They are getting to sound like Audi’s LP1. I went to Le Mans a couple of years ago and the best sounding car were thew Corvettes. The exhaust note after they passed you was earsplitting at the right angle. I don’t care about getting the high pitch scream back, but if they could get the turbo sound to hit you in the chest then I think spectators would be happier.

    TV viewing is a different matter though. Until you go back to what it was, then I think there is not a lot you can do for those that cannot see them for real. There are positives as you can hear more things going on, the crowd cheering (or booing) and pre/post shows means even outside the garage, you can hear the presenters/interviews.

    But I get F1 shouldn’t be the quieter or barely faster than F2

  17. Do i like this years engine sound? -Yes. Do i think it’s possibly a bit to quiet? -maybe a bit. Do i prefer the V8 sound? -No, they’re on equel level for me. Do i prefer the V10 sound? Yes.

    My personal opinion is that the sound is great, alot of details are noticable. But it lacks brutality. I wish they’d went for a 3.0L V6 Turbo instead, together with higher fuel usage this year, which then would be slowly reduced over the years.

  18. I guess this isn’t really to the topic, but why are we debating the sound of the engine when most people in New Zealand, which is where I live, don’t even get to see a Formula 1 race? Bernie is worried “about the unique sound”, but overlooks that the nearest most people here get to a race is via the 30 second news clip, which usually just shows a car crossing the finishing line and maybe some crash or other.
    As far as I can tell, this information is largely lost on the New Zealand public.
    Surely there is an obligation on broadcasters to raise the profile of F1?

  19. Anyone recall how the first era of turbo cars sounded?

    1. Yes. They were much better than the current cars, but nothing like as good as normally aspirated engines. I went to the British GP in 1988, when we had a mix of N/A and Turbo cars. The turbos were a lot more powerful, but sounded awfully dull in comparison.

  20. Enough with the noise issue, at least on TV. I haven’t been to a live event but being able to hear the crowd react to events I’m watching is awesome. Being able to hear the wheels chirp as they run across concrete kerbing is awesome.

    Deafening high-pitched squealing is not the definition of F1 cars.

    Actually the best sounding car at every F1 event is the Mercedes AMG pace car. That sounds heavenly, and a field full of that would make my day.

  21. I was at Barcelona and I am not exaggerating when I say that felt almost a sense of bereavement when I heard the cars. My girlfriend was equally traumatized, having visited with me her first race F1 last year. She thought the sound of the 2014 cars laughable, had it not been so sad. They are just so UNDERWHELMING. As I said in an earlier post last week, I actually voluntarily missed a session of live F1, for the first time in 27 years of going to GP’s. I must agree with an earlier contributor as well, the views we heard trackside were mostly from those who were very, very disappointed.

    So the situation for me now is that F1 is a TV sport. I am truly loving this season on TV, but there is simply no reason to plough a minimum of £500 into a weekend of live F1 anymore, as it is just not at all impressive. I went to the British Superbikes a few weeks ago and Oulton Park, and there was far more of a thrill in the air there, and it is 90% down to noise. I am astonished to read on here that people think the V8’s were like being ‘yelled at’. I simply can’t understand how anyone with a single ‘motor racing bone’ in them could be anything other blown away and indeed, almost emotionally moved by that sound.

    1. Very well said… I am surprised where where these people all these years who did not like the sound on V8

    2. To me nothing beat the Ferrari and Lamborghini V12s. When they ditched them for all V10s I didn’t whinge, when they ditched them for V8s I didn’t whinge and I’m not whinging now and still love going to and watching F1. The engines all have their good qualities, surprises me that a fan of F1 doesn’t get that.

      1. maybe because they prefer a better sound? not every f1 fan is like you and don’t care what they sound like you.

    3. Couldn’t agree more, perfectly said. I was looking forward to going to the British Grand Prix in a few weeks time, but there is simply no way I would give my money to such a lack of spectacle (and yes, the racing is superb, best I’ve seen in a long time, but the sound is what made it an experience like no other). I did my time by going to the Spanish Grand Prix, and honestly, I can’t take any more disappointment from this sport. It is something that used to be 100x better in the flesh, and now, you wouldn’t even know they were on the track if you were there in the flesh.

      For me, it is more sensational to listen to the tea kettle boil in my kitchen.

      And I don’t have to pay £500 for that.

  22. I don’t plan on attending the race in Austin this year, but I would be curious to see if the cars sound better in person than they do on television.

    It’s not that they aren’t “loud enough” on television, the sound just doesn’t do anything for me, no goosebumps, no tingly feeling, absolutely nothing about the sound screams FORMULA ONE!!!!!

    The best thing I can say about the sound of the new motors is that they sound “interesting”… sort of.

  23. I want my ears to bleed from the noise damn it. More importantly , I want the cars to revving to 15,000 RPMs whenever is possible ; meaning you get 100kg of fuel for the race and you can use how you see fit

  24. To be honest I think the argument about the sound/volume is irrelevant as its ot going to change anytime soon.

    There not going to decide to change the engine formula given how much has already been spent on them & there not going to remove the fuel flow limits given how thats one of the main points of the new formula.

    The engine manufacturer’s want the focus to be on relevance (To them) & efficiency, Thats why the rules were drawn up the way they were & why the discussion from the very start was small capacity turbo hybrids & why many of the manufacturer supported categories have already gone or are likely to soon go in a similar direction.

    The talk of relevance, efficiency etc… is something which a lot of fans seem to be down on, However were not the one’s pouring hundreds of millions of into an engine program. The engine manufacturer’s do care about relevance & efficiency, They do see both as been valuable to them & its the sort of stuff they promote not just to the public but also to the board members who have to OK the funding for there F1 engine program.

    The noise, Aggression etc.. are things which many fans care about, Yet do you stick with super loud, very aggressive V8 engines or go back to something like V10/V12s just because fans want that & risk putting off engine manufacturer’s or do you do something that over the next few years will guarantee manufacturer involvement which in turn will allow F1 to keep going (There is no doing anything without engines afterall)?

    Also consider that many circuits around the world are been hit with noise orders & protests. These new quieter engines will remove a lot of that problem & ensure that races on popular circuits like Melbourne & Monza will continue without constant complaints about the noise annoying local people/wildlife.

    Fans tend to have a very narrow minded view of the way F1 should be based on there own tastes/preferences. Some want a lot of overtaking & love things like DRS, While others prefer good, competitive, Pure racing & despise gimmicks like DRS.
    F1 should take note of fans views but I don’t think it should decide rules/regulations based off of it as fans opinions don’t always gel with whats best overall for F1 & those who take part in it.

  25. I don’t think this has been talked about too much, but I believe quieter engines might help get more young people to attend the races. For example, I’m now considering getting a ticket for my 3 year old daughter to come and see the racing cars on one of the Silverstone days. I’ve managed to get her interested in racing cars on the TV, but now I can take her to GPs as she grows up knowing I probably won’t permanently damage her hearing (too much at least).

    As I say, not many have talked about the family aspect so I thought it should be raised.

  26. The V8s were quite simply too loud (and sounded ridiculously horrible on tv really). If you can actually spend your weekend without having to use earplugs I think that’s only better.

    I’ve been to rock concerts where it wasn’t necessary to cover hearing and the experience has always been 10 times better than to having to use earplugs which annoyingly muffle the sound and take half of the spectrum with them (I don’t want to spend money on some ridiculously expensive earplugs). I also tend to enjoy music which is more diverse than music that’s simply trying to go as high pitch and as loud as possible and maintaining that for the whole 2 hours. Not to mention records that are victims of the loudness war (reduced dynamic range).

  27. This is formula joke.

    Driver who cant push, cars that cant use fuel, cars that sound like vacuum cleaners. First year im not going to a race in 8 years. No plans to return until the spectacle returns.

    The cars sound HORRIBLE

  28. F1 was, and is supposed to be, the epitome of motor-racing, and not a “how Green can we be?” economy run. While some limits are necessary, such as tire size, aero, engine size, weight and so on, the current limits and the resulting lack of engine noise are obviously causing negative reaction.

    The very fact that polls about the sound are being taken at all, no matter what their outcome, proves the point. They no longer sound like F1 cars are expected to sound. The most telling comment from the poll was when one – positive – respondent who wrote “they sound like very sporty road cars”, … and therein lies the problem.

    1. Another person that believes F1 was only created in the last decade, F1 engines never sounded unlike the high revving engines of recent past.

  29. Thank you @keithcollantine. This is the first attempt I’ve seen on the entire interweb where someone has tried to actually take an objective look at the subject and separate those who’ve actually seen the cars in person vs. people who watch on TV.

    *BTW “interweb” is an inside joke for us Americans as one of our more senior politicians didn’t know the correct term or even what it was and yet was head of a committee that governed Internet and communications policy here in the US :)

  30. Whilst the engines do sound better in person as it were than on TV, that is only relatively speaking. I think they sound awful, like a lawnmower on steroids. Bring back the high pitched whine, to me, that will always be the ‘F1’ sound. I like to feel my ears bleed after a day at the track! The new generation noise won’t stop me from watching or attending though so I guess it doesn’t really matter either way.

  31. The Formula needs to be relevant to Formula One.

    I couldn’t care less whether Renault and Mercedes are involved.

    Look at the history of F1 constructors and major auto manufacturers are few and far between and those that have been involved (other than Ferrari) rarely stay long.

    Everyone complains about how F1 costs too much, but those same people go on to complain that F1 needs a Formula that appeals to big money manufacturers to survive.

    1. The problem now is that if the big manufacturer’s leave there’s nobody that could come in & supply all the cars.

      In the past you had the private engine builders like John Judd who would supply cheap engines to teams without manufacturer support, But companies like that are no longer interested in running in F1 in part because the cost of designing/building & maintaining engines has been so high for the past 20 years.

      Its also worth pointing out that F1 has usually been at its most popular during periods when there has been a couple big manufacturer’s involved.

  32. I usually don’t post comments but rather read opinions. Forthe past 5 yrs I’ve been attending the Montreal GP and must say this years F1 sound is very welcoming. It’s a pleasure now to listen to the engines/cars without the painful deafening squeals of the V8. The new sound is equivalent to wearing earplugs on the V8’s but being able to hear more on the sound spectrum. I’ve been taking my daughters since the younger was 4yrs old and it’s was worrying the impact the v8 loudness would have on her.

    For those who haven’t heard the sound live yet, I suggest you wait until the to give judgement. The cars are quieter, raising the quality of the entertainment at the event. I heard the engines if the F1 classic cars racing in Montreal and really don’t miss the loud brutal sounds of the pass.

  33. the Red Bull Ring, This year’s race sold out early and it’s sure to be another cracker.
    so we have declining spectators peed off supporters all in the name of sound/DRS,
    yeah looks like it,
    people get a grip on it this is progress and the beauty of progress is the drivers having to drive the cars,
    not be forced to the ground by a double diffuser and aerodynamics that made the cars cling to the track,
    we have finally cars that show the drivers ability to keep on the track and fight with the power coming out of a corner.
    i am loving it so much more than ever before, it is so exciting these new cars and DRS lets cars get back into the race without being held up by others,
    stop complaining and watch the spectacle its the best we have seen in years.

  34. Michael Brown
    18th June 2014, 17:01

    The engines can barely be heard on TV. Especially onboard and with the commentators talking. However, the Monaco Grand Prix soundly excellent on TV. The commentators sounded like they were trying to be heard over the engines.

    FOM, move the track microphones closer to the cars or make them more sensitive.

  35. Lots of fuss about nothing. Oh those rose tinted years of the past when the cars were forever as loud as a tyrannosaurus rex…

    Yet, hang on, just watched the ‘classic F1’ at the old Österreichring and there must have been a problem with the sound as I could barely hear the cars. And those were the normally aspirated cars. The turbos (which eventually largely failed) were I think doing some kind of Toyota Prius impression?

    Of course I loved the sound of the V8s, V10s, V12s etc. And to witness it for real is without a doubt one of the most impressive things you will ever hear (if you like that kind of thing.)

    The current noise they make is different but no less interesting with all the different systems now in operation. The sound of the brakes, the sound of the aero and the sound of the tyres protesting when pushed beyond their incredible limits. Let’s also not forget the added stimulation we now hear when the crowd roar, showing their appreciation and enthusiasm.

    I absolutely love the sound of F1 2014.

  36. F1 is supposed to be a sport of the most impressive engineering in the world, an engine isn’t very impressive when the tyres can squeal louder

    1. But noise has nothing to do with how impressive the engineering is.

      From an engineering & technical point of view these new engines & all the hybrid stuff that goes with them is far more impressive than the prior V8s.

      The fact there getting 750-800bhp out of these new power units while getting better peak performance, Faster acceleration & higher top speeds than the old V8s while using significantly less fuel is an incredible feat of engineering & is exactly what should be getting discussed instead of this nonsense about noise.

  37. I’m sure the volume can be improved by adding a proper, scientifically tuned, sound pipe/resonator to the exhaust. This would add some weight and the technical regulations would need to be amended to accommodate the increase. Such a device would then make the most of what ever energy is in the exhaust gas. Listen to someone blowing into the mouthpiece of any wind instrument without the rest of the body attached and you will know what I mean.

  38. Why the quieter engines might be better:

    Jean Alesi on the Austrain GP: “I remember something that’s quite funny: in the old days it was always said that the local cows stopped producing milk for a week, because of the noise from the F1 cars. Now that the cars make less noise, let’s hope it’s only a few days…”

  39. I live less than 2km from the Singapore track and I can’t hear a thing! I miss the live feedback I used to get while watching the race on tv.

  40. This is all absurd counter-reality marketing by corporate bozos that don’t even like cars or racing. Just as we see elsewhere they’re now (surprise!) pushing a “universal” race engine they’re TELLING YOU what YOU should like.

    I wish Dietrich and Ferrari would leave and start their own grand prix series that ignored the non-sense F1 has turned into.

Comments are closed.