Tributes to F1 race chief Whiting after sudden death

FIA president Jean Todt led tributes to Charlie Whiting, Formula One’s longserving race director, who has died on the eve of the 2019 season.

The 66-year-old suffered a pulmonary embolism in Melbourne where he was due to officiate the curtainraiser of the new season.

Todt described ex-chief engineer Whiting as embodying “the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport”.

Whiting’s entry into F1 came as a member of the Hesketh Racing team in 1977 but it was through his work at Brabham that he made his name. As chief mechanic for the outfit owned by Bernie Ecclestone, he played an integral role in the championships won by Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983.

After leaving Brabham in 1988, Whiting moved on to serve as FIA technical delegate and then became FIA director and safety delegate from 1997.

Todt added: “It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s sudden passing.

“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. All my thoughts, those of the FIA and entire motor sport community go out to his family, friends, and all Formula One lovers.”

Ross Brawn, Formula 1 managing director of motorsports, said he was “devastated”. He added: “I have known Charlie all of my racing life. We worked as mechanics together, became friends and spent so much time together at racetracks across the world. I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news. It is a great loss not only personally but also to the entire Formula 1 family, the FIA and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said Whiting was “a man with great integrity who performed a difficult role in a balanced way”.