Australian Grand Prix: Organizers Angry About New Regulations
The organizers of the Australian Grand Prix are furious; the new very subdued sound of the 2014 cars would make the event less attractive. The possibility of a lawsuit against F1 is being seriously considered.
Andrew Westacott and Ron Walker, organiser and president of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, are not quieting down after the end of their Grand Prix. The initial feedback from fans on site is very negative. In an interview given this Monday morning to Fairfax Radio, Andrew Westacott mentioned a possible appeal citing a breach of contracts: « The sound imposed by the new regulations harms the race’s attractiveness. We consider that we have not received what we paid for. We pay for a product, we have contracts in place, and we are looking into all of this very seriously because we believe the agreements have not been respected. »
Ron Walker, president of the Australian Grand Prix, reportedly contacted Bernie Ecclestone, representative of F1 rights, to express the organizers’ dissatisfaction: « Ron spoke to Bernie after the race and told him that the fans did not like the show as it was presented to them ».
Let’s recall that Bernie Ecclestone himself is not a great admirer of the V6 turbo engines and their sound; he reminded us of this just days before the first Grand Prix of the season: The public will get used to the aesthetics of the new F1 cars, but they will never get used to the sound of these new engines. It’s a habit that will have to be adopted though, as these new engines will be used until 2020.
Andrew Westacott expects an even more negative reaction from the public in Europe: “We no longer need earplugs, neither in the pit lane nor even at the start. The most devoted F1 fans in Europe will be less impressed by these cars that have become quieter.”
