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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

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?
At the end of a Formula 1 season that Mercedes quite comfortably dominated, its defeat to Red Bull in the Abu Dhabi finale prompted some intrigue from a technical standpoint.

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

Is this the real secret behind the Mercedes DAS system?

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F1 Formula 1
Is this the real secret behind the Mercedes DAS system?