MAY 4, 2018

F1 can thrive without big noise says Dupasquier

F1 can survive without the big engines and sounds of the past.

F1 can survive without the big engines and sounds of the past.

That is the view of Pierre Dupasquier, the former Michelin boss who was in F1 at the height of the V10 and tyre war era over a decade ago.

Five years into the controversial 'hybrid' era, F1 owner Liberty Media is now looking into making the category louder for 2021.

But Dupasquier said the new generation will adjust to the modern age.

"Young people are in another category," he told France's Auto Hebdo.

"With the gaming consoles they're getting used to something different and they're seeing hybrid and electric cars on a daily basis as well.

"They will end up wondering why an F1 car makes so much noise," Dupasquier added.

Indeed, he said rewinding to the past would be the wrong step for formula one.

"Nobody would understand this old machine in a time when road cars have all the modern finesse," he said.

(GMM)