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Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content

The hidden tech fight that will define F1 2021

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The hidden tech fight that will define F1 2021
An extremely important Formula 1 battle has been brewing away from the track in 2020, and enters its most important phase as the clock ticks past midnight on December 31.

Did Mercedes sacrifice Abu Dhabi GP pace to exploit test day?

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F1 Formula 1
Did Mercedes sacrifice Abu Dhabi GP pace to exploit test day?

The 2021 design tweaks revealed in Abu Dhabi

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F1 Formula 1
The 2021 design tweaks revealed in Abu Dhabi

Bahrain GP: Spotting the latest F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Bahrain GP: Spotting the latest F1 technical developments

The three key front wing tweaks that Red Bull unleashed in Turkey

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F1 Formula 1
The three key front wing tweaks that Red Bull unleashed in Turkey

Turkish GP: Latest F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Turkish GP: Latest F1 technical developments

What's new for Formula 1 2021

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F1 Formula 1
What's new for Formula 1 2021

Why Ferrari has gone back to old ideas to move forward

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F1 Formula 1
Why Ferrari has gone back to old ideas to move forward

How Ferrari's progress was helped by an old idea

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F1 Formula 1
How Ferrari's progress was helped by an old idea

The updates that have helped Red Bull close in on Mercedes

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F1 Formula 1
The updates that have helped Red Bull close in on Mercedes

Portuguese GP: Latest F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Portuguese GP: Latest F1 technical developments

How Haas inspired the latest rear wing design trend in F1

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F1 Formula 1
How Haas inspired the latest rear wing design trend in F1

Has Red Bull’s front wing trick cured its aero anomalies?

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F1 Formula 1
Has Red Bull’s front wing trick cured its aero anomalies?

The Ferrari updates that gave an "unexpected" boost to Leclerc

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F1 Formula 1
The Ferrari updates that gave an "unexpected" boost to Leclerc

How Ferrari's and Mercedes' most dominant F1 cars compare

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F1 Formula 1
How Ferrari's and Mercedes' most dominant F1 cars compare

Eifel GP: Latest F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Eifel GP: Latest F1 technical developments

Banned: The full story behind Brabham's F1 'fan car'

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: The full story behind Brabham's F1 'fan car'

Russian GP: Latest key F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Russian GP: Latest key F1 technical developments

How Formula 1 is cutting downforce again for 2021

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F1 Formula 1
How Formula 1 is cutting downforce again for 2021

The F1 upgrades that spurred Mercedes on to a Mugello 1-2

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F1 Formula 1
The F1 upgrades that spurred Mercedes on to a Mugello 1-2

Tuscan GP: Key F1 technical developments on track

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F1 Formula 1
Tuscan GP: Key F1 technical developments on track

The car changes that have helped McLaren shine in 2020

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F1 Formula 1
The car changes that have helped McLaren shine in 2020

Giorgio Piola's history of F1 steering wheel evolution

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F1 Formula 1
Giorgio Piola's history of F1 steering wheel evolution

How low can you go? Skinny Monza F1 wings explained

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F1 Formula 1
How low can you go? Skinny Monza F1 wings explained

Italian GP: Monza F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Italian GP: Monza F1 technical developments

Italian GP: Latest key F1 technical developments

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F1 Formula 1
Italian GP: Latest key F1 technical developments

The upgrades that helped Mercedes step it up in Belgium

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F1 Formula 1
The upgrades that helped Mercedes step it up in Belgium

Under the skin of Red Bull’s F1 quest to catch Mercedes

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F1 Formula 1
Under the skin of Red Bull’s F1 quest to catch Mercedes

F1 technical update: Racing Point, Mercedes, Red Bull & Ferrari

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F1 Formula 1
F1 technical update: Racing Point, Mercedes, Red Bull & Ferrari

Why Mercedes gets uncomfortable when the pressure goes up

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F1 Formula 1
Why Mercedes gets uncomfortable when the pressure goes up

The tech fallout from the Racing Point F1 verdict

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F1 Formula 1
The tech fallout from the Racing Point F1 verdict

F1 technical update: Mercedes, Ferrari, Racing Point & Red Bull

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F1 Formula 1
F1 technical update: Mercedes, Ferrari, Racing Point & Red Bull

Why the Racing Point is less a Mercedes copy than you may think

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F1 Formula 1
Why the Racing Point is less a Mercedes copy than you may think

Revealed: The hidden complexity of Red Bull’s amazing grid repair

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F1 Formula 1
Revealed: The hidden complexity of Red Bull’s amazing grid repair

F1 technical update: Mercedes, McLaren, AlphaTauri & Racing Point

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F1 Formula 1
F1 technical update: Mercedes, McLaren, AlphaTauri & Racing Point

F1 technical update: Ferrari’s recovery push hindered by tokens

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F1 Formula 1
F1 technical update: Ferrari’s recovery push hindered by tokens

F1 technical update: Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren & Williams

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F1 Formula 1
F1 technical update: Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren & Williams

Explained: Ferrari’s fast-tracked F1 upgrade package

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F1 Formula 1
Explained: Ferrari’s fast-tracked F1 upgrade package

Revealed: How Red Bull added flavour to its F1 rear wing

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F1 Formula 1
Revealed: How Red Bull added flavour to its F1 rear wing

First look: Ferrari's upgraded F1 front wing

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F1 Formula 1
First look: Ferrari's upgraded F1 front wing

Red Bull’s new nose hints at fresh direction

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F1 Formula 1
Red Bull’s new nose hints at fresh direction

Why there’s more to Mercedes than a new paint scheme in Austria

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F1 Formula 1
Why there’s more to Mercedes than a new paint scheme in Austria

Revealed: Renault’s key element of its triple F1 update package

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F1 Formula 1
Revealed: Renault’s key element of its triple F1 update package

Why F1's floor change could lead to unintended consequences

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F1 Formula 1
Why F1's floor change could lead to unintended consequences

Banned: Why exhaust blown diffusers were outlawed

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: Why exhaust blown diffusers were outlawed

What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part IV

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F1 Formula 1
What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part IV

What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part III

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F1 Formula 1
What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part III

What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part II

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F1 Formula 1
What F1's 2020 wing designs tell us about each team - Part II

What F1's 2020 front wing designs tell us about each team

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F1 Formula 1
What F1's 2020 front wing designs tell us about each team

Banned: Why Renault's mass damper was outlawed

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: Why Renault's mass damper was outlawed

The small wing detail that shows Mercedes is still pushing

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F1 Formula 1
The small wing detail that shows Mercedes is still pushing

The secrets of Formula 1's six-wheeled racer

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F1 Formula 1
The secrets of Formula 1's six-wheeled racer

How McLaren and Ferrari went to war with the rules in '76

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F1 Formula 1
How McLaren and Ferrari went to war with the rules in '76

Banned: Why Mercedes' double DRS was outlawed

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: Why Mercedes' double DRS was outlawed

Banned: Why McLaren's F-duct was outlawed

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: Why McLaren's F-duct was outlawed

The Ferrari idea that shaped current F1 car thinking

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F1 Formula 1
The Ferrari idea that shaped current F1 car thinking

Banned: Why Lotus' twin-chassis concept was outlawed

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F1 Formula 1
Banned: Why Lotus' twin-chassis concept was outlawed

What we know about Formula 1's 2020 cars so far

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F1 Formula 1
What we know about Formula 1's 2020 cars so far

How 'PAS' system shows Ferrari was on to DAS benefits

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F1 Formula 1
How 'PAS' system shows Ferrari was on to DAS benefits

How Mercedes has taken F1 brake design to the next level

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F1 Formula 1
How Mercedes has taken F1 brake design to the next level