The signature sound of F1 in the early 2000s was that of the 3.0L-3.5L V10 engine spinning itself into the mechanical oblivion of 15,000-20,000 RPM. This was THE noise that got a lot of people hooked on F1 for the sheer screaming insanity of it. Hell, in reality it was the noise of the 1990s through the early 2000s as Formula One officials had banned the use of turbos right around 1989 and with the mandated displacement limits, the engine builders and engineers decided that a V10 allowed them the best platform to make maximum naturally aspirated horsepower. These were the F1 noises and sounds we’d most often hear when we were younger and a race was accidentally televised or we stumbled across highlights somehow. My how times have changed.
The explosive popularity of F1 in the USA has nothing to do with engine sounds but with driver personality and story telling. The cars are obviously part of the program as well but they do not sound a lick like the ones you will hear below. That’s the difference between appealing to a hardcore gearhead fan and the general populace, who there are exponentially more of.
Anyway, we digress. One of the featured classes at the recent Goodwood Members Meeting was that which featured cars of the F1 V10 era. The video below is presented with no commentary, just the sounds of these engines being leaned on. Now, don’t be expecting Senna like performances as most of these cars have gentleman owners who are living out Walter Mitty fantasies. That said, the noise still rules!
