15/01/2016
NEWS STORY
While there are precious few rule changes in 2016 - other than the overly complicated plan to give drivers more choice in terms of tyres - fans can at least expect the sport to sound better.
One of the main complaints about the new formula, introduced in 2014 - other than the fact that Mercedes was the only manufacturer to get it right - is the noise, or rather lack of it.
Those who lived through the original turbo era, not to mention the days of V12s, Flat-12s and even H16s, were left open-mouthed at the damp squib that is the sound of contemporary, hybrid F1.
All that is to change this year however, as the sport seeks to make the engines louder, thereby recreating a little of the spine-tingling magic of years gone by.
"In the past, everyone has run wastegate pipes into the main tailpipe of the engine and what we have to do in 2016 is separate them," Pat Symonds told Reuters in Birmingham today.
"With the wastegate open, it will be 25 percent louder," he added.
In fact, the Briton claims the power units of 2015 were already louder than in 2014.
"We've seen some big increases since the beginning of 2014," he said, "the cars have got naturally louder and they will get naturally louder this year in addition to the changes we have made to the exhaust.
"We haven't heard them on the circuit yet, but I think we may hear a few of the old signature noises from the turbos, the whistles and the pops, but we will have to wait and see about that one," he concluded.