The longest lasting controversy from last week’s Australian Grand Prix now appears to be quieter engines, toned down after Formula 1 introduced new powerunit regulations ahead of the 2014 season.
Young Australian Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo saw his historic podium finish overturned in controversial circumstances, but that may be quickly forgotten as F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone attempts to remedy complaints against reduced engine volume.
Australian GP organisers weren’t overly pleased last Sunday when crowd and tyre noise at times trumped the sound of the cars in action.
“I was not horrified by the noise, I was horrified by the lack of it,” the F1 boss said.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Ron Walker made his complaints heard after Sunday’s season opener and suggestions have been made F1 could be in breach of contract.
“… these cars don’t sound like racing cars. I’ve been speaking with Jean (Todt, president of F1’s governing body, the FIA) and what I’ve said is that we need to see whether there is some way of making them sound like racing cars.”
Ecclestone admitted that a number of race promoters had reached out to express their concerns over the noise issue.
The F1 season continues in Malaysia on March 30, kicking off a busy patch of three races over a four week span. Any changes made to the current regulation would likely not be seen before the Spanish GP in early May.
Meanwhile, Ricciardo’s disqualification looks likely to stand after rival teams Mercedes and Ferrari backed the FIA’s (international racing federation) fuel-censoring equipment.
Stripped of a second place finish for exceeding the 100kg/h fuel limit, Red Bull is said to have broken F1 rules by replacing what they claimed was a faulty FIA fuel censor with one of their own.
The team has until Thursday to officially lodge an appeal against the FIA decision.
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Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
