Here's a pic of a renault piston to show what Phil describes. Hard to tell the scale, to show how small this really is. There is another picture out there with a pencil in it for reference but I couldn't find it. Still, you can see the short skirt, low mass and relatively big bore to achieve the high revs.
PANTERA INTERNATIONAL
A DE TOMASO CAR CLUB
Presents the De Tomaso Forums
The On-Line Meeting Place for De Tomaso Owners and Enthusiasts From Around the World
Clicking on the banner will take you to the sponsor's website.