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At least one respected veteran correspondent has allayed fears that F1's scream will become a whimper when the new V6 rules take effect in 2014.
Apparently spurred on by Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 circuits' union chief Ron Walker told Autoweek magazine that the 1.6-litre ERS-boosted engines of 2014 would "sound like lawnmower engines" and Ecclestone hinted that the sport's authorities might be forced to artificially enhance the ihduction and exhaust noise or lose spectators.
TWIN TURBO ENGINES
However Jean-Louis Moncet, a long-time French commentator for TF1, said the fears were exaggerated. "I don't think the engine noise for 2014 is really a problem," he said in his Auto Plus blog. "I started as a journalist in F1 in 1978, when Renault was winning acclaim with its turbo.
"Ferrari was not long to follow, then BMW and others. In those days it was a 1500cc V6, single or twin turbo, except BMW had an inline four-cylinder.
"So, a memory, and one to reassure you," Moncet told his readers. "The GP of France, at Paul Ricard, and Nelson Piquet on the Mistral straight. Sincerely, in the middle of the straight, you could easily imagine the BMW, at 330km/h, tearing up the asphalt and digging a trench to a depth of 20m - it howled that much.
"So it's going to sound different (in 2014) but there will be noise -- lots of noise, without which F1 would not be F1. I think a lot of this fear about the noise is coming from young journalists listening at the GP circuits to the turbocharged engine in the GP3 cars, that sound like a power drill.
"The ERS F1 engine will be fundamentally different."
For more on this go to the F1 dictionary.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.
Apparently spurred on by Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 circuits' union chief Ron Walker told Autoweek magazine that the 1.6-litre ERS-boosted engines of 2014 would "sound like lawnmower engines" and Ecclestone hinted that the sport's authorities might be forced to artificially enhance the ihduction and exhaust noise or lose spectators.
TWIN TURBO ENGINES
However Jean-Louis Moncet, a long-time French commentator for TF1, said the fears were exaggerated. "I don't think the engine noise for 2014 is really a problem," he said in his Auto Plus blog. "I started as a journalist in F1 in 1978, when Renault was winning acclaim with its turbo.
"Ferrari was not long to follow, then BMW and others. In those days it was a 1500cc V6, single or twin turbo, except BMW had an inline four-cylinder.
"So, a memory, and one to reassure you," Moncet told his readers. "The GP of France, at Paul Ricard, and Nelson Piquet on the Mistral straight. Sincerely, in the middle of the straight, you could easily imagine the BMW, at 330km/h, tearing up the asphalt and digging a trench to a depth of 20m - it howled that much.
"So it's going to sound different (in 2014) but there will be noise -- lots of noise, without which F1 would not be F1. I think a lot of this fear about the noise is coming from young journalists listening at the GP circuits to the turbocharged engine in the GP3 cars, that sound like a power drill.
"The ERS F1 engine will be fundamentally different."
For more on this go to the F1 dictionary.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.