Formula One Set To Crank Up The Volume

A "sound generator" is in the pipeline to crank up the noise - and the excitement - produced by Formula One's hybrid engines.

F1's stakeholders recently signed off a package of engine regulations for 2017 and beyond, with moves to improve the sound of the cars being part of the agreement.

Fans and some leading figures within the sport, including Bernie Ecclestone, have argued that some of F1's traditional appeal has been diluted since the advent of quieter turbo engines in 2014.

Speaking at the Spanish GP, Fabrice Lom, the FIA's head of powertrain, said: "There is a perception that the sound is not enough, and we have had very good results with what we call a 'sound generator'.

"It is not fake, but it is not purely natural, let's say, but that would really increase the intensity and quality of the engine sound."

Mercedes have taken a lead in looking at ways to increase the sound of the current engines and recently advertised for a "noise engineer" to join their Brixworth engine base with the remit of improving the turbo hybrid V6 noise appeal without sacrificing power unit or vehicle performance.

Lom, a former engineer at Renault, says plans for the sound generator are still in the early stages.

"It's a bit early to say [how it will work], it's really under development," he explained. "But we are using the energy on the exhaust, even if it is not very high, because we recover a lot [of wasted energy], to increase it."

The FIA, F1's governing body, is aiming to have some device in place by 2018 at the latest.