Formula 1 will be "significantly" louder in 2016, according to Mercedes technical boss Paddy Lowe, who noted that during lab tests of the new exhaust layout that there is a big difference.
The sport has attempted to address the 'noise issue' after the introduction of new hybrid V6 power units led to a much quieter engine note, something fans have been very vocal about over the past two seasons.
A regulation change will introduce a second (or optional third) exhaust outlet purely for exhaust gases. Previously these gases were passing through the turbo wastegate, which greatly reduces the volume.
Lowe is confident fans will be treated to a much louder F1 in the future.
"We'll see how much louder the changes prove, but some measurements have been made in the labs and they have seen a significant increase," he said.
"The reason for that is the wastegate was causing a sort of silencing of the main exhaust pipe, so by removing it from the main exhaust pipe we have less silencing going on of the main flow.
"We now have to duct that air separately through an extra tailpipe, and this is intended to make more noise. It will work."
He's not the only engineer to have confidence in the change, as Pat Symonds of Williams also gave positive feedback of the new exhaust layout.
"With the wastegate open, it will be 25 percent louder," he told Reuters. "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."
