Famous for his drawings of the technical details of single-seaters, he boasts the highest number of Formula 1 Grands Prix followed live (900, at the 2024 Dutch GP).
Giorgio Piola
Giorgio Piola was born in Santa Margherita Ligure on 1 November 1948. Giorgio is the Formula 1 technical expert who has been following the Grand Prix since 1969 and is considered the most authoritative divulger of the single-seater's secrets: his technical drawings and animations allow you to discover the innovations introduced by the teams at each Grand Prix.
He is the paddock personality with the most Grand Prix to his credit. At the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, he celebrated 906 Grand Prix in attendance.
His first drawing was published in January 1969 in Automondo and then, from 1970, in the pages of Autosprint before moving in 1975 first to Corriere della Sera and then to Gazzetta dello Sport, where he continued to work until 2015.
Over the decades, he has collaborated with the most diverse publications around the world: Autosport (GB), Sport Auto F-D), Auto Motor Und Sport (D), Sony Magazine (JP), Automobile Revue (CH), VM (FN), Formule 1 (HO), Racer (USA), Road and Track (USA) GPX F1 (JP). Occasionally Quattroruote (I) and various newspapers around the world.
Since 2001 Technical editor together with John Barnard of F1 Magazine.
Responsible for the technical column on F1.com from 2009 to the present day and collaborated with technical drawings on the official websites of BMW and Toyota until their retirement from Formula 1.
Since 1990 he has also been active as a TV commentator: RAI from 1990 to 1995, Mediaset from 1996 to 1998, RAI again from 1999 until 2006 also as a live commentator. Technical illustrator for digital TV run by Bernie Ecclestone in the 1998-2000 seasons. SKY contributor in 2007-2008 again RAI from 2011 and Canal Plus, Sky GB and TV3 (SP) and RTL (D).
Author of several technical books and, since 1994, of an annual on the F1 season ‘Technical Analysis…’ published and translated into 2 languages.
He has won several awards: Confartigianato Monza in 1988, Ferrari prize in 1991, SKF in 1993, CSAI prize and Confartigianato prize in 2002.
Since 2016 he has collaborated exclusively with the international network Motorsport.com in addition to F1.com.
CHINESE GP 2019
Award
On the occasion of the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix, race number 1000 in the history of Formula 1, he was honored by Chase Carey (CEO of Liberty Media) with a commemorative coin, being the character in the paddock with the highest number of grand prix participations (900, at the 2024 Dutch GP).
906
Grands Prix followed live
