F1 Question

[speckytecky]

I have noticed we have a few F1 afficinados amongst EduGeekers. I have been a follower on the small box for several years and at the weekend attended my first live race.

The difference was incredible, it seemed to me that the cars are actually smaller than they look on TV but also the noise they make just does not come across on the box. Particularly Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus cars pop and bang at low revs and to my untrained ear sound rough when you consider they have the same engine supplier (Renualt) as Red Bull which sound loud but sweetly tuned. Perhaps if the Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus cars were tuned the same as the Red Bulls they would command higher grid positions?

[Marci]

Homologated Engine = no tuning as such. It's just exhaust design responsible for the noise. The difference between LotusR / Lotus vs RedBull is aero & chassis, not engine...

[dave.81]

At low rev's they also run on just 4 cylinders instead of the full 8, the way they use the blown defusers makes a big difference to the sound as well.

[laserblazer]

at the weekend attended my first live race.

You went to Monaco?

[synaesthesia]

I've yet to attend a race (first will be Silverstone this year) but I have stood right next to (touching distance) several cars while they start up and run, some really revving the nuts off. The sound is just something else entirely and a TV can never do it justice regardless of the audio system in place. Mostly because you can't just hear it, you can feel it too. The exhausts make a lot of difference, don't forget the Renaults *had* a greatly different exhaust setup to Red Bull and everyone else, and had to make a bodge job of putting it back. Then again, if you've ever heard the Renault F1 cars at experience/track days and things like the Renault World Series, you'll notice there just how much they "pop" and splutter.

[uk_panda]

This is similar with the BTCC touring cars, I go to most venues, its Oulton Park this week, the noise through the TV just doesn't cut it

[Marci]

Heh - am off to Oulton Park on Sunday...

To be honest, it's the same with all motorsport. Microphones can't catch the sonic impact fully. You get the noise, but without the pressurewave... always sounds completely different. You should hear our sidecar's exhaust in the flesh vs via onboard camera/mic vs passing a static camera/mic... the difference is staggering.

[speckytecky]

Yep - life is rough isn't it. Went to celebrate my redundancy!

In reality my eldest daughter lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer; son in law works for a yacht management company and his office is in Monaco. Fine son in law arranged it all and even sorted out a boat ride to and from practice and the race. My first F1 - be a bit hard for ant future ones I'm lucky enough to get to to match up. It was seriously memorable.

You went to Monaco?

[speckytecky]

Thanks for all your really useful answers folks - I knew this was the place to ask and as usual you came up trumps.

[john]

Myself and @timbo343 were at Silverstone last year and the sound was amazing, nothing like the TV, I must admit I find its not as nice on TV any-more now i've been there for real.

[stevenewman]

I worked at Silverstone for many of the GPs a few years ago, before they built the open grandstand opposite the old pits and start line. On one occasion I was right up against the debris fence - not the public fence but the wire mesh fence literally about a foot from the edge of the track, right on the start line. The sound that is generated as they take off at the start of the race is something that will live with me forever. I'm not a big F1 fan, in fact I find it pretty boring, but that noise is just something else. I've also been present for lots of the F1 testing sessions that were held there and whilst the sound of the cars is pretty special, nothing has ever matched that start line experience.

[CESIL]

I took my sons to the Goodwood Festival of speed a few years back and at one point we were stood just behind a Ferrari as it was started up...the noise was awesome...both boys were blown away by their first taste of live F1 engine noise...

...oh and during the F1 demonstration runs up the hill we saw Montoya showing off by doing standing starts in front of each grandstand (although we were in the first one!).

I am saving up to try and get to Spa one year and this may be the year...

[mac_shinobi]

I remember being in Melbourne Australia in December and could hear the F1 racing from the town centre and near where we were Much better in real life then on the telly

Obviously too much for the poxy microphones that the cameras have / use lol

[speckytecky]

Know what you mean John;683725 and for me being there for a live race made a unique difference from most of the ones I have watched on TV over the past few years - I stayed awake all the way through!! Usually in front of the box I nod off just before the end - groan!

Myself and @timbo343 were at Silverstone last year and the sound was amazing, nothing like the TV, I must admit I find its not as nice on TV any-more now i've been there for real.

[j17sparky]

Yep - life is rough isn't it. Went to celebrate my redundancy!

In reality my eldest daughter lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer; son in law works for a yacht management company and his office is in Monaco. Fine son in law arranged it all and even sorted out a boat ride to and from practice and the race. My first F1 - be a bit hard for ant future ones I'm lucky enough to get to to match up. It was seriously memorable.

I'm just a bit jealous - and I don't even like F1! Monaco is something special though, I generally watch that race when it's on, would love to go!