- 22 Mar 14, 20:26#396165Well put Olman.
The main thing is an identity crisis for F1. Is it the ultimate motorsport where everything is thrown at making cars go as fast as possible around a variety of tracks? Or is it technological competition for engineers that just happened to start with motor racing as a theme and is now more about general road car usage?
If its the first, then F1 has shot itself in the foot, because people are attracted to it for its insanity and complete difference to everyday motoring or indeed to other race series where there are lots of constraints for practical reasons. The sound was a big part of that because it epitomised the sheer wasteful and self centered pursuit of speed round a track and was indifference to the environment, the spectators ear drums or practicalities. The cars should last just a few feet past a full race distance and should be maxed out in everyway, it should be like an arms race in wartime with winning the only consideration.
If its the second, then there is no real reason for spectators to treat it as a unique series. The visual spectacle is just a bit faster than GP2, if you want overtaking there are better series, you want outright speed there are others, you want endurance....
The technology that makes F1 stand out is better understood and followed away from the track, most of the sexy stuff is under the skin, the cars are not even beautiful like LMP. If it was all city center circuits with the most advanced electric racing cars that could be interesting - err hold on that sounds familiar. So people are gonna trudge over to half empty tracks in the middle of nowhere, spend a fortune, be thouroughly confused about whats happening on track till you watch the recap on tv, 'ah, thats why my fave driver suddenly went from first to last halfway thru the race'
And there is no longer the primeval aspect of the sound. Why would you not watch more fun and cheaper series in the flesh and watch F1 on a streaming internet site for free?
Is there a middle ground? does it work? Thats what we gonne be finding out over the next year or so as global audiences that are already in a declining trend either reverse or ride out the pay per view dampner at the same time as people have been given a reason to not pay the high price for tickets plus the high costs of everything else from merchandising to lap time data.
I remember a race in the far east when it strated pouring with rain and I had to buy the most expensive piece of cling film ever from some rogues who had a concession to fleece those foiled by the previously sunny climate.
2014 Monster 26x Bookie Mugger
2015, 2016 WDC: LH44 
I agree the engine sound takes a lot of what is special away from F1. It's been mentioned in the Australia GP thread and in the turbo engine thread( you may like to see what's been said) :but why not give it a thread of its own! Even Bernie wants it changing........and he's the guy who condoned the changes!! 
I love the engine scream and it will be missing at Silverstone this year. 
