Veteran audiences of Formula-1 racing would be disappointed to attend a 2014 race after the new mandatory regulations are applied to this year’s racing cars.
Attending the Monaco Grand Prix was a mixed experience compared to two previous visits to the same event in the stylish municipality.
The power of Formula-1 cars deserved applause considering that they are running this year on 1.6 liter engines with turbochargers and hybrid systems.
However, the traditional deep blowing sound that used to shake the audience is gone.
This season, no earplugs are needed to watch a race and the experience resembled a “Formula–1 light” performance.
Most of the old excitement is gone with the muted new engines.
This is the first Formula-1 season that has a safety car with a bigger engine than the racers!
One media commentator said that the difference is not noticeable to the millions watching Formula–1 events on television, because commentators “turn the sound up.”
No one tackled this issue publicly due to the intricate network of self-interests in the sport.
But, I think regulations have this year gone too far and they risk killing a sport known for its sheer power, sound and vibration.
The lap record in Monaco this year is some four seconds slower than it was a few years ago. That is not progress.
Formula One is about pushing the barriers not about downsizing and getting quieter.
It is not the place of Formula-1 to tinker with 1.6 liter engines to get the most power but to excite an audience who come to watch a unique experience – and that includes all the senses.
A formula-1 experience should be unforgettable but new regulations have killed most of the excitement of old races.
In Monaco, most audiences were busy watching the luxury yachts and attending lavish hospitality suites, but in hard-core circuits with petrol-head audiences such as Silverstone, the reaction would be more vocal in disappointment.
Taking the lighter and quieter road to the future will lead Formula–1 to oblivion.
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Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.
Email: [email protected]
Formula -1 light
Formula -1 light
