I don't get it either...
If you want to watch WWII era V8/10/12 engines go around, just watch NASCAR... Technology moves forward and F1 should be at the head of it, not hanging on for some misplaced sense of nostalgia. With the new enhanced KERS etc. we're looking again at around 700+ hp out of these cars. That's technology in action. Remember the 1.1 liter turbo cars of the 70's? Now that was a technology showcase!
All this exhaust sound talk is really just hot air...
Btw. have you guys ever been to an F1 race? Sound clips on the Internet are nice, but hearing the rumble of the engine in person and hearing the cars "crashing" through their gears on downshifts is quite a spectacle that videos don't convey. Check it out some time, I think you'll be surprised.
People should be much less mock outraged about the engine sounds and more upset about DRS. That's a stupid gimmick that should have never happened...