Reactions
Formula 1
Tributes flood in for Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting
Tributes have poured in following the death of Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting on the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Scott Mitchell Jonathan Noble
Edited: Mar 14, 2019, 2:40 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The FIA confirmed on Thursday that Whiting died from a pulmonary embolism. F1 teams plus past and present, as well as drivers and team personnel took to social media to express their shock and sadness following the sad news, and pay tribute to one of the F1 paddocks longest-serving and most likeable characters.
Ross Brawn, Managing Director, Motorsports at Formula 1 said: “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. 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.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff added: "I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of Charlie's passing this morning. He was a pillar of our Formula 1 family – balanced in his approach, subtle in his understanding and always with the interests of Formula 1 as his main focus.
"He was a fantastic ambassador for our sport and a true guardian of its best interests; all of us who were lucky enough to know him will miss his ready smile and gentle humour. On behalf of the entire Mercedes motorsport family, I send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."
Red Bull's Christian Horner added: “I am deeply saddened to hear the terrible news that Charlie Whiting passed away last night. Charlie has played a key role in this sport and has been the referee and voice of reason as Race Director for many years.
“He was a man with great integrity who performed a difficult role in a balanced way. At heart, he was a racer with his origins stretching back to his time at Hesketh and the early days of Brabham. On behalf of everyone at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing we pass on our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
“Charlie was a great man who will be sadly missed by the entire Formula 1 paddock and the wider motorsport community.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article F1 race director Charlie Whiting dies aged 66
Next article McLaren replaces BAT logos for the Australian GP
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Latest news
Marc Marquez wary of MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin at Sepang: "Adrenaline is the best painkiller"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
21 min
Marc Marquez wary of MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin at Sepang: "Adrenaline is the best painkiller"
Joan Mir "has a lot of answers" about crash-strewn 2026 MotoGP campaign as he explains illness
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 59 min
Joan Mir "has a lot of answers" about crash-strewn 2026 MotoGP campaign as he explains illness
Francesco Bagnaia calls Sepang his “best chance” and vows to “risk more”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Francesco Bagnaia calls Sepang his “best chance” and vows to “risk more”
Christian Horner admits he doesn't need F1 return after £67 million Red Bull payout
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
Christian Horner admits he doesn't need F1 return after £67 million Red Bull payout
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe