Does F-1 sound worse this year?

"FelixScout" (FelixScout)
03/19/2014 at 11:49 • Filed to: Racecar, F-1

I was listening to the radio and heard that the Melbourne F-1 organizers were frustrated with the new sound of the new engines since they lack the shrieking roar of the old engines from last year. Now the aural atmosphere of an event is critical and if the full experience doesn't measure up you may feel short changed. Say if you watched an air shoe and instead of the the screaming jet engines and the throbbing drone of piston engines it all sounded like grunting pigs instead. It would be odd to say the least and completely ruined to say the most.

Here's a comparison of the the two sounds:

So what is you opinion on the matter? Like it? Hate it? On some level don't care since it's an auto race?

DISCUSSION (23)

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 11:54

The racing is far more interesting now. The drivers have trouble braking and keeping the car on the road under full power. It was worth loosing the V8 sound, which was far from perfect compared to the glorious V10.

FelixScout > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/19/2014 at 12:11

Does this new power system give them more immediate power than before?

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 12:13

Yeah. before, they had something like 760-780hp from the V8 + Kers, now the Mercedes V6 is said to produce 860hp thanks to the huge electric boost.

McLarry > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 12:15

Yes, it's worse... I don't necessarily think they should go back (personally I think they should be able to use however many cylinders they want), but I don't find the new sound particularly exciting whereas the old sound was impossible to ignore. Even so the new engines shake things up, and so far I'm enjoying the show.

jariten1781 > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 12:22

I totally get the organizers side. I'm a fan of motorsports and race craft so to me, the engine not isn't that big of a deal. My wife, on the other hand, couldn't care less about racing but loves F1 (too a lesser extent MotoGP and Le Mans).

Why? The spectacle of the thing. Yachts in the harbor, tracks around amusement parks, supermodel quality flag girls, cars that look and sound like nothing else, cool sponsors, flamboyant display of wealth, and drama both within the team and with the governing body. The actual racing is a secondary thing for her. When you make the sound less unique and less loud it seriously affects her enjoyment of it.

When I was watching FP1 she walked in from the other room totally confused because she recognized the commentators voices but thought that the cars sounded like leaf blowers. Throughout the entirety of qualifying and the race she continuously commented about how much she hated the terrible sound and the dong noses. She did however take great enjoyment in Hamilton and Vettel's cars failing since she hates those two with an unquenchable passion.

So yeah, I think they've alienated a good portion of the more casual fans with the change. I understand how the organizers feel like they're not getting their moneys worth.

DoctorDick > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 12:40

If anything the new F1 regulations have made the cars sound more futuristic, which is better. They just lack the loudness, but the sound is great in my opinion.

Also, I haven't seen them live but I did watch practice and qualifying with a headset, through amplifier. Then the race with my bookshelf speakers + sub. On both set ups the cars sounded good.

FelixScout > jariten1781
03/19/2014 at 13:02

Here's a question then. Since it seems you watch it anyway do you think she will come around to it again over the course of the season or the next couple seasons?

FelixScout > McLarry
03/19/2014 at 13:04

Cool. Do you think it will grow on you? Or will it just not matter since the overall show is more interesting?

McLarry > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 13:11

I think eventually things will get back into equilibrium...everybody is starting from scratch, so that makes right now interesting, but soon enough they'll figure out what the best design is and the 'pecking order' will be reestablished; maybe then I'll get upset about the sound of the cars. It's different enough that I think the cars have lost some measure of their visceral appeal, but I watch to see the best driving and engineering, not necessarily for the audio :P

What's your opinion?

jariten1781 > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 13:12

She'll get used to it I'm sure, I doubt she'll ever think it sounds cool though. If you asked her last year to list the things she liked about F1 (which she watches even when I'm out of town) vs Indycar (which she will not watch even if I'm watching it and she has nothing else to do) the sound would have been on the list. By itself it hasn't made her stop watching, but it's certainly a step in the wrong direction.

FelixScout > McLarry
03/19/2014 at 13:35

Hmmm. Well I don't really watch much auto racing on TV, and no F-1 since the 80's, but while the sound is different I kinda like it. Oddly it also sounds a bit like the pod racers from episode 1 but better than that as well.

In the end I appreciate the technical aspects of this engine configuration enough to not really care that much about the effects on the race experience and appreciate the driving more than the audio. I asked the question since the comparison was made and I was curious to see what everyone thought.

McLarry > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 14:51

That's a good way to put it

FelixScout > McLarry
03/19/2014 at 15:14

Thank you.

FelixScout > jariten1781
03/19/2014 at 15:23

Thank you for that. It's interesting to know.

FelixScout > DoctorDick
03/19/2014 at 15:24

So the future sounds like big ass turbo's. Got it. (makes note)

Wildstar > FelixScout
03/19/2014 at 16:25

No, not worse. Just different. The mid-60s V-8s and V-12s we replaced by the previous generation of turbos, that were replaced by the V-10s, that were replaced by the V-8s, that have now been replaced by these turbo V-6s. It's called change. I have no problem with the noise.

FelixScout > Wildstar
03/19/2014 at 16:34

Thank you for the response.

EL_ULY > FelixScout
03/21/2014 at 23:41

it's more of a higher action TV event than a spend $1,200 on going to the event, event. (I live in Texas, $1,200 will be more for most)

FelixScout > EL_ULY
03/22/2014 at 02:54

So the change affects you less since you watch it on TV?

EL_ULY > FelixScout
03/22/2014 at 16:04

It is way more entertaining, sooo competitive! But I'm not sure about dropping as much $ as last year for a shop vac race :] IndyCar is still a go when they come to town :] As well as TUSCC and WEC at COTA :]

FelixScout > EL_ULY
03/22/2014 at 17:56

Good to know. Thanks.

SeaOfAshes > FelixScout
03/23/2014 at 06:00

Just going to drop my two cents in here way after the fact:

On the one hand, the new power system gives them a lot more torque, partially (I'm guessing here) because of the fact that the engine revs have been lowered. Since torque is what matters for acceleration, that gives drivers trouble coming out of corners and such when they step on the gas.

The torque increase is coupled with the new ERS (I'll just call it super-KERS to get the point across) system, which uses braking force from the rear as one of its sources of energy. That means the rear brakes are now control-by-wire rather than mechanical, which causes some problems because they are also controlled by a computer, and the driver isn't always sure when that will kick in (Raikkonen is actually having issues with his), and so the tune-up of the braking makes a difference, and the super-KERS also provides a lot more energy than the old system.

So couple instant electric torque with boatloads of delayed (I'm assuming) turbo torque coming out of a corner, add a dash of lowered aero to taste, and you have a recipe for some fantastic squirming both in and out of corners. All this garnished with some hissing and popping from the turbos. Honestly, I'm happy. If I ever get to go to a race again, maybe I'll change my mind, but the TV could never begin to do it justice, anyway.

FelixScout > SeaOfAshes
03/23/2014 at 13:03

Thank you for this, it definitely adds some good depth to it all.