[Ibrahim]

Hello all. I have been a fan since my father and mother took me to the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport when I was 9 months old and they carried me around there in the rain in a backpack. Ha! My grandfather, father, uncle, and family friends all started going to Watkins Glen in the 60’s. Needless to say I grew up with F1 and grand prix motorcycle racing. My first real year to start following GP’s was 1987 and what a year to really get into it! My interest waned a bit in the mid 90’s, I had girls to chase and was too cool I thought to follow cars going round a track anymore. Got back into moto’s in the early 2000’s and finally came back to F1 in 2009.

So, I FINALLY got to to go to my first F1 event (not counting my infant experience) last race in Malaysia. I was able to attend with my younger brother a fellow f1 nut and it was his first race as well. We were anxious to say the least to get to be able to “hear” these new v-6 cars, but as we had nothing to reference it by (in person at least) the cars sounded pretty good. But, they are really not that loud, we have seen and heard Corvette v-8 race prepped cars at Laguan Seca for example and they really shake the ground as they past. The f1 cars sound great deccelarating from high speed and have a good shriek right at that point.

The race was rated as quite boring for everyone watching on TV and I would have probably been in the same book, but being as it was my first race I had a blast. I have a feeling that just being there at the track, even if it is a boring race, it is just a different experience.

I honestly feel though that people that have been fortunate enough to have heard the v-8’s, 10’s, and 12’s will be sorely disappointed in the new sound. We went to qualifying with a group who had been going to every race there since 99 and some of them were almost in tears in disappointment. I believe one was literally in tears, the consensus was that it was just not what f1 was supposed to be anymore.

That brings me to my departed grandfather. When he would talk about being back at the Glen, it was always the visceral things he remembered the most vividly. The sights, the smells, the SOUND. When you love something, it encompasses all aspects. If you are married and think about the love for you wife for example, you don’t just love how she looks right? Or how she behaves? You also love the sound of her voice correct? For people that genuinely LOVE formula 1, I can only believe it must be most similar. I have been reading endlessly the debate about the sound and find it almost comical how we are being told to basically just shut up and deal with it, and that “We will like it eventually”. How that it is all about the sport, people would rather see a good race and more technical innovations than hear a soulful crazy banshee v-10 wail.

If you are a true fan and love the sport, nothing is going to change that. We will try our best to see every race and attend in person if possible. Read every round up on this site, but the hats and shirts and merchandise, think about it in the off season, watch classic races etc etc.

But I feel like something has really changed and I wonder what my grandfather would think.

[Magnificent Geoffrey]

Hi Ibrahim! Thank you for sharing your story and views with us.

I honestly feel though that people that have been fortunate enough to have heard the v-8′s, 10′s, and 12′s will be sorely disappointed in the new sound. We went to qualifying with a group who had been going to every race there since 99 and some of them were almost in tears in disappointment. I believe one was literally in tears, the consensus was that it was just not what f1 was supposed to be anymore.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced the V10s, the V8s and the new V6s live in person. I’ve heard the beautiful ear-splitting whine of the V10s and felt the sheer body-shaking volume of the V8s. I was able to go to the opening test in Jerez when the engines were put to the test for the first time and while the actual impact of the V6s doesn’t match its predecessors, I can say that I was not ‘sorely disappointed’ with it and I was certainly not about to start crying about it!

I’m really enjoying this new era of F1. I think the sport is finally using modern technology at long last, whereas the old N/A V8s were so rooted in the 20th Century it was almost embarrassing. Yes, you could argue that the fuel saving nature of the new regs is against the ‘spirit’ of F1, but the fact that the new engines have a lot less capacity but that the cars are now faster in a straight line as ever is astounding to me.

Then you add in the energy recovery side of things and you realise that the cars are half-powered by themselves! The technology F1 is now using is really mind-blowing and I think that it’s every bit in line with what F1 is supposed to be – the pinnacle of racing technology.

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