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The FIA’s director of Formula 1 Charlie Whiting has died in Melbourne at the age of 66.
Whiting suffered a pulmonary embolism and died on Thursday morning at the start of the Australian Grand Prix weekend, the FIA announced in a statement. Whiting was an extremely recognizable face in the F1 paddock, having been race director since 1997.
“It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s sudden passing,” FIA president Jean Todt said. “I have known Charlie Whiting for many years and he has been a great Race Director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula 1 who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport.
“Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie. All my thoughts, those of the FIA and entire motor sport community go out to his family, friends, and all Formula 1 lovers.”
Whiting’s career in F1 started in 1977 with Hesketh, before moving to Brabham and then joining the FIA in 1988. The Briton held a number of roles within the FIA, including safety delegate and head of the technical department, often making him the first port of call for teams seeking clarifications or dealing with incidents.
F1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn worked with Whiting throughout his career and paid tribute to the man who was also in charge of starting each grand prix.
“I have known Charlie for all of my racing life,” Brawn said. “We worked as mechanics together, became friends and spent so much time together at race tracks across the world. I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news. I’m devastated.
“It is a great loss not only for me personally but also the entire Formula 1 family, the FIA and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”
A gentle voice of reason, at today's F1 driver briefing they talked openly about Whiting. Vettel talked about how they talked while walking the track together on Thursday morning.
The guy was a class act respected by all that we will miss dearly.
More than we know actually...
Here's where the reality sinks in guys: It'll be very difficult replacing this smart man. He wore like 3 hats for the FIA and was working yesterday like normal.
I don't like the near future of things during these next few GPs when it comes to issues etc....
The guy was a class act respected by all that we will miss dearly.
More than we know actually...
Here's where the reality sinks in guys: It'll be very difficult replacing this smart man. He wore like 3 hats for the FIA and was working yesterday like normal.
I don't like the near future of things during these next few GPs when it comes to issues etc....
+1 totally agree, Whiting had many roles and was as fair and straightforward as they come for officiating
FWIW, F1 official website has some nice tribute to Charlie
It was not always easy, and at times the job had its personal dangers. With a wry smile, Charlie would tell the story that on one occasion the mischievous Piquet pitted to inform him that there was fluid in the cockpit. Charlie investigated, prompted by his driver, and went so far as to stick his finger into what he assumed to be brake or clutch fluid and then tentatively to taste it. Whereupon Piquet collapsed with laughter and informed him that he had actually relieved himself in the cockpit.
That was the thing with Charlie, who was always known just by his first name. He was one of those figures who had been working in the sport so long that everyone knew him and he commanded great respect, not least for the manner in which he handled the devastation of events such as Jules Bianchi’s ultimately fatal accident in the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014.
That was another reason why he commanded such respect. The drivers appreciated that he was a racer who understood their concerns, and would listen. He merely smiled when Sebastian Vettel offered a personal rant at his expense during the Mexican GP in 2016.
Whiting's handling of Vettel's outburst directed at him in 2016 and how he handled it showed what a understanding and gracious gentleman he was.
03-13-2019, 09:32 PM
A screen shot of my brother's calendar.
