CRI听力:Formula One Fans Not Affected by Noise

The 2014 season has seen some of the biggest regulation changes ever for the sport.

The old 2.4 litre normally-aspirated V8 engines have been replaced by 1.6 litre turbos which are restricted to 15,000 rpm.

While the old engines produced around 750 break horsepower this season they put out around 600, with the rest of the power coming from very clever energy recovery systems.

The teams are also limited to 100kg of fuel for the race to encourage them to build and run the cars in a more efficient way.

The changes have had the unintentional side effect of making the sport quieter.

And it is not only the fans who didn't like the change, F1 head Bernie Eccleston was reportedly horrified when he heard the cars at the season opener in Australia, while reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel got in to a little hot water for the four letter word he used to describe the noise the cars now emit.

Throughout the history of Formula One the wall of sound which shakes you in your seat by the race track as the cars pass has been a large part of the enjoyment for many, it adds to the feeling that these thoroughbred race cars are fast and powerful beasts.

And now, no matter how fast they may now go, some say without that signature sound it makes them appear slower.

So what do fans here in China think about it?

"I think the sound is better than last year I think the sound for this year is quite well than before. I think this kind of change is very good for the environment and the watcher."

"It's too loud! And I'm not so used to it but it's fine; it's pretty good.

It's very very loud, the noise is very very loud the race. It's like last year just the same I think, because I came last year and I think the noise also the same. I can't feel the difference, I can't tell the difference."

"I think it should be quieter maybe! You said that other people thought it's not loud enough because they can't enjoy the sound here, but for people who just want to go here to enjoy the race the sound is quite noisy right now."

Defenders of the new regulations say a change was needed to make the development of Formula One cars more relevant to the development of normal road cars.

Manufacturer Mercedes even said they may have pulled out of the Formula One if the antiquated technology remained.

Bernie Eccleston has asked teams to look for a way to make the new engines noisier but no moves have been made in that direction yet, so for now fans in China and elsewhere in the world, will just have to get used to watching F1 without earplugs.

For CRI I'm Alexander Aucott in Shanghai.