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Motor racing-F1 engines need to be louder, says Ecclestone

SEPANG, Malaysia, March 28 (Reuters) - Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes the sound of the cars needs to be louder but that television fails to do the noise levels justice in response to widespread criticism from the paddock of the quieter V6 engines.

Ecclestone experienced the sound of the new cars for the first time during practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday, a day after world champion Sebastian Vettel slammed the lack of noise and said circuits were now quieter than most bars.

"It is a little better than we thought so if we can just get it up a little more than that... then it would be alright," Ecclestone told Britain's Sky Sports during the second session of practice at the Sepang circuit on Friday.

"All the promoters are complaining, saying the same thing, so we have to see a little bit what is going to happen.

"It sounds terrible on TV. The problem is not that, the problem is for the people coming here and the whole atmosphere."

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday the switch from the old eardrum piercing V8 engines had led to the glamour sport losing some of special shine.

Asked if the engines could be turned up for the remaining 17 races, the 83-year-old Ecclestone was in the dark.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask the engineers. I've asked them and they've said 'no'," he told the BBC. (Writing by Patrick Johnston; Editing by John O'Brien)