Renault Sport’s deputy managing director Rob White, has moved to allay fears about the noise aspect of Formula One’s new engine format for the 2013 season onwards.
The sport will switch to ‘greener’ four-cylinder engines, boosted by a more powerful in-built KERS system.
The biggest fear, as highlighted by not only the fans, but Bernie Ecclestone himself, is that the sport will lose its unique sound which to many, is one of the biggest draws.
“People love and get excited about the noise,” said Ecclestone. “I’m anti, anti, anti moving into this small turbo four formula,” he added. “We don’t need it and if it’s so important it’s the sort of thing that should be in saloon car racing.”
White however disagrees, and is confident the new soundtrack will be just as exciting.
“The new engine will make a great noise,” he told Auto und Motor Sport. “Motorcycle engines also rotate at around 12,000rpm and sound good.”
Despite Ecclestone’s concern, White says there is no going back, with development on the new engines having already begun.
“We are already working on this engine,” he added. “There will be only new manufacturers coming into Formula One with a new engine format.”
Meanwhile, the news will be welcomed to teams such as Red Bull, Lotus-Renault and Team Lotus, all of whom use the Renault Sport engine, which is often criticised for being less powerful than its rivals, due to the freeze on engine development.
“We do not have the strongest engine,” admitted White, “but there are also other disciplines. For example, the driveability. We have worked hard to tailor the engines characteristics to our drivers.”
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