Noise limits for racing cars - even on racetracks
09/02/2016
In just over two weeks, the historic racing cars will be racing on the circuit in the Ardennes during the Spa Six Hours. Interestingly, the organizers have communicated the noise limits in the program.
For most series it is 105, 108, 110 or 112 dB, only the Formula 1 cars and the prototype sports cars of the sixties and seventies are allowed to emit an untamed engine sound, "unlimited" is the word in the program.
What many people don't know is that most racetracks today have noise limits and that 104 dB, for example, already rules out many historic racing cars if they are not additionally muffled. In fact, even some modern sports cars with flap exhausts are often unable to meet these limits and we ourselves were advised during a test drive with a modern and naturally road-legal compact car some time ago to drive the bends a gear higher, as otherwise the car would be too loud.
Incidentally, we will be there at the end of the Spa Six Hours, so we will be able to see for ourselves how loud which racing car series is.
