Legendary Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting Has Passed Away
Whiting started out his F1 career working for the Hesketh team in 1977. He moved on to Brabham where he helped engineer Nelson Piquet to two world championships with the team in 1981 and 1983, and in 1988 he joined the FIA as a technical delegate. In 1997 he was promoted to his now-famous role as race director which famously included controlling the light sequence at the start of races, as well as overseeing the running of a grand prix weekend and pushing for higher standards of safety - among many other things.
Sadly, the FIA confirmed in a statement that on Thursday morning in Melbourne - just one day before the start of practice for the Australian Grand Prix - that Whiting died as the result of a pulmonary embolism.
President of the FIA, Jean Todt, said of the news:
“It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s sudden passing. 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 motorsport community go out to his family, friends, and all Formula 1 lovers.”
We offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all those who knew him.
A version of this article was originally posted on WTF1
Comments
RIP, a legend in the F1 community, he will be sorely missed by all in the paddock, as well as those outside of it
F1
RIP. May God bless his soul… 😢
RIP 😔
Never heard of him but RIP
If you have never heard of him then why comment here?
His job that he had was so wide and diverse how can you find just a single person to cover it all….he made up for a small team of people in just one person….he will be missed 1952 - 2019
F1
F 1
Now who’s gonna make sure max completes his communal service next year?
never knew about him (im not a hardcore F1 guy)
but after hearing how much he championed F1 Safety and both about many new changes to the sport that were for the better, and his influence on drivers, made me understand the respect he got after his sad death.
at least he had a great life. R.I.P Charlie