Charlie Whiting, a Passionate Advocate for Formula 1
The sudden death of Charlie Whiting, Formula 1 Race Director since 1997, profoundly affected the motorsport world. The Briton was a man appreciated for his professional dedication, his passion, and also his kindness.
The world of Formula 1 wakes up groggy on this Thursday morning, on the eve of the season launch /f1/actualite/23168-charlie-whiting-directeur-de-course-de-la-f1-est-mort.html with the first practice sessions of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Charlie Whiting, the iconic Race Director of the premier discipline of motorsport, passed away last night at the age of 66, causing a great wave of emotion and numerous tributes unanimously recognizing the British man’s moral and professional qualities.
« He was a competitor, he was a really nice guy… The whole paddock, the whole circus, the whole Formula 1 family, all our thoughts are with him and especially with his family in these difficult circumstances. » expressed Sebastian Vettel after hearing the sad news.
Lewis Hamilton was also upset by Whiting’s death, as Whiting was very close to the drivers: « I have known Charlie since I started in 2007… Obviously, I was incredibly shocked this morning to hear the sad news. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. What he did for the sport, his commitment, he was truly a pillar… He was such an iconic figure in the sports world and contributed so much for us. May he rest in peace. »
Indeed, Charlie Whiting was highly appreciated by the drivers and the world of Formula 1. He began his career in motorsport in the 1970s, preparing the race cars for his brother, Nick, and entered the discipline in 1977 as a mechanic for the Hesketh team.
In great difficulty, the British team will quickly shut its doors, and Whiting will find refuge at Brabham where he will have a decisive encounter for the rest of his career with Bernie Ecclestone, then head of the team. He will climb the ranks to become chief mechanic and work with the team’s greatest drivers like Niki Lauda or Nelson Piquet, alongside engineer Gordon Murray.
After Bernie Ecclestone’s departure from the team, Whiting will take on the role of Technical Delegate for Formula 1 within the FIA. Appreciated for his professionalism, organizational skills, and diplomacy, he will be promoted to Race Director in 1997 by Max Mosley, then President of the federation, a role he will hold for more than 20 years until his sudden death last night.
For the general public, he was the man of the starts. He was the one who launched the drivers off the grid and was in charge of procedures. But he also organized the often lively drivers’ briefings on Sunday morning where everyone could discuss issues encountered on or off the track. As a result, he had a close and special connection with the drivers, who all feel a bit orphaned at the dawn of this new season.
Inside a Sunday Morning Briefing with Charlie Whiting and the Drivers – Malaysian GP 2017
