Louder isn't better in Formula 1

Louder isn't always better. That's a fitting phrase for Formula 1 right now, after we caught a first glimpse of the new turbo revolution that looks all set to deliver a tantalising season.

We may all lament the demise of the V8s, just as we mourn how F1 used to sound with the screaming V10s and V12s, but life has to move on. Steam trains sound way cooler than today's electric models, but we just can't live in the past.

And in its latest iteration, with the 1.6-litre turbos, F1 certainly doesn't disappoint.

Standing trackside at Jerez last week, it was hard to understand why anyone would think the new cars were a let down.

One can only guess the reasons why Formula 1's own promoter Bernie Ecclestone, the man whose job it is to sell the sport to television companies, attract sponsors and drive up interest, should choose to have a Gerald Ratner moment and call it all a "farce" when he had not even heard the cars in the flesh.

Yes, the new F1 is quieter. Yes, the engines no longer deliver a cacophony of ear-splitting decibels when they are fired up in the garage. But is that any reason to think what we have now is a failure? Not at all.

In fact, a quieter F1 has its benefits. You can now hear yourself think when the cars are out on track, you can better hear the cheers from fans in the grandstands, and you can carry on conversations with the great and the good in the paddock. That's not such a bad thing, is it?

Quieter engines mean fans will be able to hear drivers fighting them © LAT

More than that, there's something quite futuristic about the new cars. As they zoom into view - with the rears ends twitching as drivers battle with torque and less downforce - and get closer, it's not the throaty V6 engine that stands out.

Instead, it's the sweet whistling of the turbo as it whirs its way up to 125,000rpm. The cars have a space-age appeal; and you're left in no doubt that you're in the presence of a spectacular piece of racing machinery.

That's ultimately what F1 needs to be about - the cars have to turn heads and leave a lasting impression. They still do that.

Watching from behind the guardrails at Turn 1 and the exit of the chicane last Friday afternoon, it had been a long time since I'd been entertained so much by what was on display in front of me.

And not having to protect my ears with super-strength earplugs to deaden all the sounds had one huge benefit: you could actually hear what the drivers were doing.

As cars scrabbled for grip on the exit of the turns, the differences between them were sensed by both sound and sight. You could hear the hesitation as Fernando Alonso waited for the car to square up before feeling he had the confidence to accelerate hard.

You could listen to the commitment of Felipe Massa as he blasted sideways out of the bends to find the limits of the new Williams. And you could eavesdrop on Adrian Sutil's frustrations as his cold rear tyres offered no grip and he agonisingly feathered the throttle in response.

Heck, you could even hear the screech of the tyres as the drivers locked up their fronts on entry, or spun up the rears as they disappeared from view in a flurry of sideways action. And each of the engine manufacturers' products sounded unique.

The different sounds of the cars has helped deliver a better overall experience. Rather than take away from the spectacle, it's added an extra dimension to it all.

I really can't wait to hear what the cars sound like as those turbos whirr up on the grid in Melbourne, and the field is let off the leash for the charge down to Turn 1.

Let's not be Luddites to the sound of F1's new generation. Come on, feel the (quieter) noise.