Formula 1 Technical Analysis 2003

by Giorgio Piola ISBN 88 7911 325 9 Published by Giorgio Nada Editore, £20

Those of us who prefer the physics of grand prix racing to the politics look forward to Giorgio Piola’s annual offering: the most comprehensible survey of Formula One machinery you can get, with his lovingly detailed drawings all carefully annotated. As well as car-by-car mods, Piola describes strategies, tyre advances and even alterations in gearbox oils — well, even experts go over the top sometimes. Though his illustrations appear in various magazines, it’s only when they are collected that you form a complete picture of a season’s advances. A pity it’s the 2003 season, but even Piola’s access privileges have limits.

One image remains, though: on seeing a pure profile of today’s Formula One car, it comes home to you just how truly ugly they are.