Charlie Whiting dead at 66 Formula One race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, has died three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the governing FIA said in a statement on Thursday. He was 66. The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, it said. “It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s sudden passing,” said Jean Todt, president of the International Automobile Federation. “He has been a great race director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie.” Whiting, who had been race director since 1997, first worked in Formula One for defunct British outfit Hesketh before crossing to Brabham to work with the sport’s former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s. He joined the FIA as a technical delegate in 1988. As FIA director, Whiting was a driving force in pushing improved safety and played a key role in the introduction of the halo, the ring-like barrier fitted over the drivers’ heads to protect them from heavy impacts and missiles. The halo was credited with saving driver Charles Leclerc, now at Ferrari, from a potentially serious injury at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso’s McLaren bashed against his Sauber’s bodywork as it flew over the Monegasque’s head. The news was met with shock in the Formula One paddock where Whiting was close to drivers, with whom he conducted pre-race briefings, and teams who sought technical guidance and clarifications. “Charlie will be remembered as one of the giants of our sport, as well as a great colleague. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all of his loved ones,” former champions McLaren said on Twitter. Red Bull tweeted: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of Charlie Whiting’s passing and our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.” Ross Brawn, F1 managing director, said he was “devastated” to lose a friend and colleague. “I have known Charlie for all of my racing life. We worked as mechanics together, became friends and spent so much time together at race tracks across the world,” the former championship-winning boss of Brawn GP said in a statement. “I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news.” Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas said on Twitter: “Very sad and surreal news ahead the Australian GP. Can’t believe it. My thoughts are with the family and friends. He’s done so much for the sport we love.” On behalf of the GP247 community we extend our deepest condolences to Charlie Whiting’s friends, colleagues and family in the wake of his sudden passing.<doc-sep>Charlie Whiting, former FIA race director, has died at 66, days ahead of the new F1 season. Photo: AP<doc-sep>Formula One race director Charlie Whiting (photo left) has died suddenly in Melbourne, just days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend. The 66-year-old Briton died on Thursday from a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in the lung. Whiting began his F1 career in 1977 working at the Hesketh team and later moved to Bernie Eccelstone's Brabham team in the 1980s. He joined FIA, the federation of international auto racing, in 1988, and became race director in 1997. 'Central and inimitable figure' "It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie's sudden passing," FIA President Jean Todt said in a statement. "I have known Charlie Whiting for many years and he has been a great race director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie." As race director, Whiting played a pivotal part in the organization of the FIA Formula One World Championship. His role included overseeing track and car safety, procedural matters on Grand Prix weekends and starting the race. cw/cmk (AFP, AP) Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.<doc-sep>The governing body for international auto racing says its Formula One director Charlie Whiting has died from a pulmonary embolism. He was 66. The FIA issued a statement Thursday saying Whiting died in Melbourne, where the season-opening Australian Grand Prix will be raced on Sunday. A pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage in the lung. FIA President Jean Todt says Whiting had been "a great Race Director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport." Whiting began his F1 career in 1977 working at the Hesketh team. He joined the FIA in 1988 and became a race director in 1997. Todt says "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 One lovers." ___ More AP F1 coverage: https://apnews.com/FormulaOne and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports<doc-sep>
A statement from the FIA confirmed that the Briton died from a pulmonary embolism in Melbourne on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix weekend. FIA president Jean Todt said: “It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s passing. "Charlie Whiting was a great Race Director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One 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 One lovers.” Whiting first worked in Formula 1 for Hesketh Racing in 1977, but was best known for working his way through the ranks at Brabham to become its chief mechanic. He played a key role in helping Nelson Piquet to the world drivers’ championship in 1981 and 1983 and would stay at the team until it was sold by then owner Bernie Ecclestone in 1988. He moved to a position as FIA technical delegate, with the blessing of Ecclestone, and then became FIA director and safety delegate from 1997. His role included overseeing track and car safety, technical and procedural matters on grand prix weekends plus starting the race itself. Whiting was instrumental in pushing for improved safety standards in F1, and was a driving force behind the introduction of the halo at the start of last year – which was credited with saving the life of Charles Leclerc after his crash at the Belgian Grand Prix. Speaking last year, Whiting said that a number of technical advances had contributed to making F1 so safe and allowing Leclerc to walk away. “I agree about the introduction of the halo and that played a part, but you must not forget over the years all the far less visible things that have been done to improve safety of the survival cell, side impact structures, frontal impact structures, strengthen the survival cell itself, high cockpit sides, the headrest,” he said. “All of those things have been done gradually over the years and they also play a part in the outcome.”