Magneti Marelli sporting chief Roberto Dalla has promised that Formula 1 cars will be louder in 2016 following changes his company recommended.
The Italian company was hired by the FIA to find a solution to F1’s noise problem, which is a result of the sport’s complex hybrid engines introduced in 2014.
Modifications to the exhaust system have been written into the 2016 rules, which Dalla is confident will result in a better and louder engine sound.
“We found that we were missing two things,” he explained. “Firstly there is the amplitude, secondly there is the high frequency.”
The latter issue has been resolved with the mandatory introduction of a two-pipe (or three-pipe, depending on a team’s preference) exhaust system that will separate the exhaust outlet from the turbo’s wastegate.
“[Now] it is not that far away from the value that we advised,” he added.
“The aim is to keep the gas aloof from the turbine, because it works as a filter for the high frequencies,” explained Andrea Dappiano, project manager for hybrid systems. “That will result in a higher frequency and in turn more noise.”
It’s expected further changes will be made in 2017 to combat the problem further, when a major overhaul of the regulations is likely to happen.
“We will support the FIA and continue our investigations,” added Dalla.
“What the FIA has to do is to discuss the possibilities with the teams to find the correct balance between the increase of the sound and the loss of performance.”
