The howls of protest over the new sound of Formula One were deafening compared to the muffled noise from the sport’s new-generation engines.
Formula One replaced its screaming 2.4-litre V8 engines with the more timid 1.6-litre V6 turbos, pushing for greener, more efficient powerplants that use 35 per cent less fuel than last season.
And the clear result is a much duller and reduced noise level, with the shattering intensity of the previous engines gone, leaving fans at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last weekend to bemoan the lack of aural atmosphere.
As Formula One commentator and former driver Martin Brundle noted, “ear plugs were not really needed, the track PA system could be heard for the first time ever, and other sounds such as mechanical noise and tyre torture could be heard. But there simply isn’t enough volume and some of the intense drama has been lost.”
But with talk of artificially increasing the noise level to appease unhappy of fans and event organisers, it’s important to reflect on why the changes happened.
Motorsport categories around the world are struggling to find the balance between pure performance and power relative to market relevance.
And with just three engine manufacturers left in Formula One, the series needed to act to ensure its technology was relevant to the automotive sector, particularly at a time when sportscar racing is booming with the likes of Audi, Toyota, Porsche and co racing in the series to showcase their hybrid technologies.
Meanwhile, the engine changes will contribute to better racing, with the higher level of torque from the turbos, combined with less downforce, resulting in harder to drive cars.
That was evident throughout the Australian Grand Prix weekend, with the cars visibly harder to control in corners with rear-ends regularly stepping out.
Such a change was needed to make Formula One cars less predictable in a bid to improve the racing, and that was evident in the number of non-KRS and DRS (overtaking boosts) passes throughout the race.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo may have lost his second place but was nevertheless a big winner from the Australian Grand Prix, exceeding expectations on home soil.
Ricciardo was the only driver to get anywhere near the dominant Mercedes team over the event, despite the pressure of a home grand prix and debut with the championship-winning team.
While Australians bemoan the loss of Ricciardo’s second place (for breaching the mandated fuel flow rate during the racing), believing he should have avoided punishment for a team error, rules are rules and need to be black and white in such a highly technical sport.
Ricciardo and teammate Sebastian Vettel certainly face a tough ask this season to compete with the dominant Mercedes team, which claimed an easy win with Nico Rosberg.
The Mercedes-powered teams, including the factory team, McLaren, Williams and Force India, were all regulars in the top 10 and will have an early season advantage until the Renault and Ferrari-powered teams can make some gains.
In contrast to recent Vettel-dominated Formula One seasons, unreliability, poor-handling cars and a rejigged pecking order will make this season an intriguing one.
It’s just a shame about the noise…
Bob Craker
Guest
Having been in the motor sport game for 60 odd years I find the latest F1 racing so boring and frustrating I would now rather go fishing as many others have said to me Having said that,not being able to veiw the events on free to air TV has virtually killed the the sport off as far as viewers are concerned. I would prefer to see a bunch of Go Carts screeming around the track,at least they are controlled by the drivers instead of a box full of telemetry,for gods sake let a driver be a driver and give them a vehcle that allows them to show there true values and sportsmanship with out being controlled by a mob of over zelous officials and button pushing lounge chair mechanics. Berny,you and the foxtell gang have certianly stuffed this lot up,I may not be here to see it but I hope in the near future a bit of sanity will prvail and the F1 circus gets back on track for every ones sake. ,
Rodney Gordon
Expert
This is THE hot button issue of F1 at the moment. I really enjoyed the new sound profile of the cars because their individual characteristics can now be heard and other aspects of the car can be enjoyed - especially the tyre squeel on lock-ups. I'm hearing that I may be in the minority, but with progress comes compromises - and I'm happy to compromise the volume for other advantages.
Simoc
Guest
Not at all. The event was poorly sold and the emphasis should have been on the lightning quick and so quiet 2014 car compared to the old slow noisy plodders of last year. Ecclestone is old and now slow. The complainers are over the hill and not relevant to the future. The media schoolkids wet their pants with the excitement of a noise story to put their unknown names to. Poor marketing by F1.
AdamS
Roar Guru
I don't even think you need that. Simply "This track has a xx liter fuel allowance, do with it as you wish" It won't help smaller shops like cosworth though. I think the engineering required for the now allowed energy recovery systems is probably beyond any but the big manufacturers.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
How much of a difference - Look at this staggering video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4Dh_EAfJI The difference is phenomenal. This is very dissapointing because one of the things that blows you away during an F1 race is the noise, it is just phenomenal! or at least was. I really think the new cars need to be louder - not AS loud, but still louder. This should not be a problem, if my neighbor can put a muffler on his KIA to make it sound like a WRX, it should be simpler to get some roar back. But the real issue is what Adrian identified, the cars LOOK fantastic, watching the back ends slide out, the wiggling when they change gear off the start line. For the first time in many years, the things look really hard to drive which is exactly how it should be. For some time, it looked easy to drive an F1 car, no more! As for the form guide, Nico was coasting for %90 of the race, let's hope that he and Lewis really go at each other for the next 10 months with Seb, Dan, Fernando and all the others nipping at their heels.
tim
Guest
hate 2 be selling earplugs at the track
nordster
Guest
Speakers, speakers! Just whack in some speakers lol. Or pipe last years audio through to the PA...would be a logical extension for a lot of cartoonish modern sport these days. ;) (On board speakers for electric cars have been suggested more generally, partly as a safety thing for pedestrians, cyclists etc.) Having never been to a live F1 race i'll never experience the ear shattering roar. At least i can still get to a MotoGP! Agree with Good above about fia micro managing, once again down the parity path for motorsport. Sort of sacrilege for F1 given its history as an unshackled development and technology class. You lose that innovation component and the contest among manufacturers. Its a stage show now. But it is what it is now which is why i haven't watched it for some years. The WRC are a good example of a motorsport class that remained somewhat true, despite the dominance of Seb Loeb for the best part of a decade. That amount of dominance would not be tolerated in many sports due to the effect on TV and lack of a contrived close contest.
Good Publicity
Guest
The heart of the problem is the FIA's latest inept attempt to make F1 a level playing field. A dynamic energy consumption limit could have been imposed as the sole engine regulation long ago. Instead there's been a string of mandatory engine configurations that have been demonstrably irrelevant to the automobile industry. Even now, a pitiful four car makers (including Honda from 2015) consider F1 a worthwhile engineering and marketing exercise. If the 2014 fuel sensor is beneath the operating standard required for top-level motorsport, it isn't the only solution. A mandatory fuel delivery system, calibrated for each type of fuel to provide the same energy, would be a perfectly adequate substitute. Then the choice of engine configuration could be left entirely to the teams and their suppliers. Not only would this allow car makers to use the technology that's most relevant to their road cars, but it would also encourage specialist engine makers, such as Cosworth, to innovate systems that might well show the 'majors' the way into the future. The FIA has a track record of failure when it tries to micro-manage the sport. The more the FIA imposes technical restrictions, the more engineers find ways to circumvent them. It's high time that the FIA just set simple objectives, and let the engineers find the best solutions.
Jeff
Guest
I was there and it was my fourth GP over 28 years. I was grateful for the easier to manage noise regime to be honest. The 80's turbo's were similar. Anything Turbocharged will be muffled, it cannot be avoided.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
I find the actual sound of the cars to beg ok, just the actual volume to be... A little too quiet, personally. But engines have changed over time and they Alsound different. The turbos of the mid 80s sound different to the naturally aspirated engines of 1989. Those 89 engines sound different to the V10s early from the millennium, which sound different to the V8s brought in from 2006. A Ferrari 458 sounds different to the Dino Ferrari, and that's just because of time and development. My brother gave me his explanation on this with the following metaphor. You can have the same picture in black and white, and in colour, and they can both still be good. Just different.