2014 ushers in the 1.6L turbo V6. To me, it doesn't have the same feel nor sound as a screaming V8.

The New F1 Cars Sound Shockingly Different From Last Year's Cars

With a switch from a screaming naturally aspirated V8 to a much smaller 1.6-liter turbcharged V6, it was inevitable that the new Formula One cars would sound different from their predecessors. But just how different are they for 2014?

Enough that you will be genuinely surprised when you compare the two side by side at the Melbourne Grand Prix, as this intrepid YouTube user did. Assuming the same filming angle and recording techniques were used, the new cars, to me, sound much quieter, lower and more anonymous than the V8s they replaced.

I wasn't at Melbourne this weekend (sadly!), but based on this video I'm pretty disappointed. I've had the privilege of hearing those old cars in person on a couple occasions and I have to say I'll miss their ear-splitting, spine-melting wail. The sound is one of the best things about a live F1 race. I hope the cars sound better in real life than they do here.

Evidently I'm not the only one upset about this. Our old pal Alex Lloyd reports at Yahoo! Autos that the group that staged the race, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, is so incensed over the underwhelming sound that they're claiming breach of contract with Bernie Ecclestone and his F1 management group. The Aussies say they didn't get what they paid for this weekend.

Is it really that bad? Listen to the video and judge for yourself. Was anyone there this weekend? Can you attest to how the cars sound from the stands?


Full article - HERE

 

I won't see the V6T until Oct at COTA, but having heard/seen the V10s at Indy and the V8s at COTA, I'm not really bothered by the change. The V8s never sounded that good except at WOT and high RPM, they were just loud. Partial/no throttle, they sounded like crap, lower revs coming out of turns they sounded like crap. They only really sounded good from the in-car audio where you didn't hear the nasally exhaust.

The V10s were pretty damn amazing though.

I don't expect to be overwhelmed by the V6T in person, I'm just hoping they can push the revs a bit higher than the 11k they're shifting at right now. Either way, the V6 doesn't lend itself to sounding good.

 

I'll miss the banshee wail. But there is something cool about a 15,000rpm 1.6 liter with a turbocharger cramming 50psi down it's throat for a combined 760hp with the energy recovery system power included.

 

The 2014s, sounded like gocarts...

 

Not a fan of the sound

 

hybrid? Ha that is crazy how much different.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

plus, with the fuel limits, i guess they are revving much lower. like 12-12.5k i believe i read? turbos make great mufflers, but i'd rather hear the old engines. it was my favorite part of F1.

 

11-11.5k has been more common on the (rare) telemetry videos.

 

yeah.. as we all know, no need to rev too high with boosted cars. too bad, really,

 

I think there's still advantages to spinning faster, but right now reliability is trumping sheer power. The cars have no shortage of power as is.

 

They sound like cars form the "Jetsons"

 

My ears sans earplugs will thank the turbos now!

I don't mind the sound, yes the V8's were really exciting....for the 1st car. Then your ears just bled after.

 

I'm saddened by the mediocre sounds of the V6. It sounds weak and feeble in relation to how fast the cars are moving. F1 was ALWAYS identifiable by the screaming V8 coming down the straights. I'm a big fan of how they sounded in the mid range too.

 

In the V8 era all you could hear was the engine and as WSB pointed out it was loud but it wasn't a particularly fantastic sound (screaming on the straights then a horrid gurgling fart sound on deceleration). What the V6s lack in volume they make up for in being able to hear everything that makes up the overall sound of the car. Now we can hear the engine, the turbo noises, the transmission whine, the car scraping, and the tires being punished. I love being able to hear all that. We'll see how they sound in person this fall but I suspect I won't mind the new sound one bit.