There's two things that are lost in the recording: the supersonic and subsonic. Generally, you can't hear these ranges (thus their names), but they do affect you. Also, they can't be recorded too well, and if they could, I don't know of a single system that could play it back.
The subsonic probably makes your body vibrate a bit, which in combination with the supersonic messing with your teeth, raises the hairs on the back of your neck. I'm guessing that F1 engines produce a lot of both frequency ranges. As for an alternative, try Champ cars (CART). I think they'd be close.
As for your inferiority complex, have no fear; many's the time my easily distracted mind has brought forth the cry "Hey, Bonehead!" So far, no serious injuries.
It's more piercing than whiny - it's much more 'muscular' in real life, almost as if the depth's missing from the recordings. They're noticeably different now to what they were in 1993, when they 3.5 litres and doing about 5-6000 less rpm.
