Malaysian Grand Prix: 'Quieter engines attract new fans' BBC Sport - Malaysian Grand Prix: 'Quieter engines attract new fans'
First, it says new fans not more fans. Second, am I supposed to believe that there were a bunch of moms and dads sitting around KL (very unlikely they were prepared to hop a jet on 12 hours notice) who said, "Hey, those F1 cars aren't loud any more, let's take the kids to the race?" I don't recall the attendance figures for the Malaysian GP, but it might have been difficult to just pitch up at the gates on race day and buy tickets, especially grandstand tickets. File this "news report" under anecdotal hyperbole.
Hope they don't tone down F1 to make it more family friendly. Bernie should mandate promoters build a amusement park/day care centers far away enough from the track. LOL That is IF they bring back the F1 engine sound. Will someone think of the ear protection manufacturers?!!
If quieter engines attracted "more" fans then attendance would have been up last year. Which it was not.
Read this morning that the FIA is considering reverting to old-style wide tires, because they have a "wow" factor. Duh! Wide, sticky tires, less aero, loud engines = recipe for awesome. Throw in a manual gearbox and now we're talking, but that's not going to happen... Why can't those geniuses just cut to the chase and bring back 70s F1? That way they'll have new fans and MORE fans.
Lots of families at NASCAR,NHRA,local short tracks etc. Kids get ear plugs,or ear protectors. Some tunable to the announcer,team,driver .GTS Bruce
Actually, although a few more dBs wouldn´t hurt, I think the problem is more about the quality of the sound than about the quantity.
Agree. The sound level at the track is absolutely fine. It just isn't musical - and it doesn't come across well on TV. In fact, the current sound level is an improvement to the spectacle because you can hear tire lock ups and spin ups, hear the crowd cheering, chat to fellow fans. Personally, I prefer that to the old sound level which was so ridiculously high that I used to wear both ear plugs and ear defenders and just have to sit there in splendid silence for the duration of the (painful) experience...
For me the sound level at the track is pathetic and is not F1. The vast majority of fans agree and have been turning off in their droves. Combined with the incessant "lift and coast" and "let so-and-so-pass-he's-on-a-different-strategy" commands from the pit wall ensured that 2014 was F1's nadir. Yes, there may be a handful of people who want to watch quiet economy runs, but gaining a few at the expense of millions of fans - really?? Image taken during the German 2014 GP - with a German car leading the WCC and a German driver leading the WDC ..... Image Unavailable, Please Login
That Sepang guy has no idea what he's talking about. Seriously. I'cve met him in person before and he's clueless! That has to be those pathetic statement i've read in a long time. F1 is so damaged now, there's hardly any attraction.
I have no idea who you are and you have no idea who I am. Calling me crazy is somewhat immature just because I hold a view which differs from yours.
To most the sound is part of a visceral experience, it's a good pain. I'm sure the drivers agree. If you think F1is(was) loud try standing at the start line of a top fuel drag race. Hearing tire squeal over the engine noise is pathetic. Take me back please. I'd need to see some proof of new fans because of this new sound. I ain't buyin' it.
I agree with you, I used to go to at least one Grand Prix every year, but F1 is just not that appealing to me for the first time since I started following it back in 1974. I feel very lucky I was able to go to as many of the races as I did and when I did. I will not spend my hard earned cash on expensive flights, to stay at hotels that raise their rates to 3 times their normal rate and pay upwards of a thousand dollars for tickets for me and my wife to watch the current snooze fest. I think it funny that Vettel has taken flack for actually voicing an opinion on how the new formula is not appealing to him and not toeing the company line, could it be the emporer has no clothes? The cost structure has put 2 teams out of business with Lotus, Force India and Sauber on the precipice, it is just sad, it reminds somewhat of what happened to the CART series in the US when egos got in the way of what was a terrific series, let's hope the great minds in F1 can right the ship before the iceberg.
Reverting to loud engines would be just another contrived feature of F1. Some complain that pit stops and fast wearing tires take away from pure racing and are an un-necessary feature that spice up the show for no reason... Noise is the same thing. Noise is wasted energy...energy that could be (currently is being) used to make the cars go faster. Today's F1 is not Adrian Newey's cup of tea. Who cares? Adrian Newey's F1 certainly would not have been Enzo Ferrari's choice for F1. There have been many different "eras" of F1...each with their own brilliant engineering solutions to the particular regulations and problems they faced. For the past ten years, F1 has been less and less interesting to me...for a few reasons. This past season was, IMO, the best in years...not bad for the first iteration of a completely new formula. I see a lot of potential.
some people just want to chat instead of enjoying the race spectacle. don't be so immature. reminds me of those fat people who eat at mcdonald's everyday, only to end up suing them for making them fat. i just lol at some of the hyper-sensitivity and remarks in this thread.
