Ecclestone: The V6 Turbo “a bit louder than I thought”
Bernie Ecclestone visited the F1 paddock taking place this weekend in Sepang, Malaysia. Horrified by the sound of the new V6 engines, Bernie Ecclestone ultimately shows a more nuanced position once on site.
Spearhead of the fight against the new noise of the V6 turbo, Bernie Ecclestone seemed to moderate his stance a bit following his arrival in the paddock at the Sepang circuit, speaking to Sky Sports: « It’s a bit louder than I thought. If we could just increase it a bit more… then that would be good. »
Despite everything, regarding the fact that the lack of noise could lead to a contractual break with Grand Prix promoters, he remains steadfast in his position: « That’s exactly the problem. All the promoters are complaining. The sound is awful on TV, but that’s not the issue; the problem is for the people who come here for the Formula 1 atmosphere. »
The second free practice session was also an opportunity to witness a scene between Bernie Ecclestone and the Malaysian Grand Prix promoter, who were approached by a photographer explaining to them that the noise was disastrous and no longer provided any sensation. All of this was under the FOM cameras – the F1 broadcaster.
On his side, the Sky consultant, Martin Brundle, explained that he had evolved a bit on his position, having heard the turbo V6 engines: « Every day, I go out on track and I am getting more and more used to it and I am less and less against it. »
He explains that, even though the noise is still too low for him, it is part of a change in philosophy: « Yes, we need a little more volume and the sound of the cars is rougher, but noise is a loss of energy, unless they rev much higher, which would mean much more fuel [to consume], it’s a complete overhaul. I don’t know if they can put a megaphone at the exhaust outlet to help a bit, but fundamentally it won’t change anything. »
