18/04/2014
NEWS STORY
No matter what else is happening on track or in the paddock, the row over engine noise - or lack of it - refuses to go away.
Following today's practice sessions talks were due to begin surrounding a number of current issues, engine noise being one of them. However, talking at the official FIA press conference two of the leading engine gurus were unsure exactly what can be done.
Asked if a change to the limit on the number of revs used might help, Mercedes Andy Cowell admitted. "I don't see the need for the revs to change to change the noise of the power unit.
"The principal reason why the engine is quieter is the turbine wheel and the muffling effect that you get from that," he continued. "That's one of the key technologies for recycling the waste energy that would normally go down the tailpipe so it's a key aspect of the technology that we've got. There are other things we can do though with the tailpipe, perhaps, to change the noise."
"Andy's alluded to tail pipe changes, that's something that could be a way to go," added Renault's Rob White. "I think the scope to fundamentally and profoundly alter the noise of the engines is extremely limited by the type of technology that we have deployed and therefore I think we need to be realistic about the scope of any action that we might take but of course we're sensitive to the subject and we'll certainly participate in any of the studies that might lead to actions being taken."
"I think the engine people in the room know the problem a lot more than I do," admitted Ferrari's Pat Fry. "I think what Andy said about... you've got the turbo there to try and take all the energy that we can out, so it's always going to be quieter. There's a round of meetings starting today, in fact, that will discuss and try and work out how to improve the situation.
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Chris Balfe