Charlie Whiting facts for kids
Charles "Charlie" Whiting (born 12 August 1952 – died 14 March 2019) was a British expert in motorsports. He worked for the FIA, which is the main group that organizes car races. Charlie was the Formula One Race Director, Safety Delegate, and Permanent Starter. He also led the F1 Technical Department. His job was to manage races, check the cars, make sure everyone followed the rules, and start each race safely. He was born in Sevenoaks, Kent, England.
Charlie's Career
Charlie Whiting started his career helping his brother, Nick. They prepared race cars near the Brands Hatch racing track in England.
In 1977, he joined a team called Hesketh Racing. After that team closed, he moved to Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham team. He became the main mechanic for the famous driver Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983. Later, he became the chief engineer for the team.
In 1988, Charlie started working for the FIA Formula One as a technical delegate. This meant he checked that cars followed the technical rules. In 1997, he became the FIA Race Director and Safety Delegate. These were very important jobs in Formula One racing.
The 2005 United States Grand Prix
Charlie Whiting was involved in a big problem at the 2005 United States Grand Prix. The tyres that Michelin brought for some teams were not safe to use. Michelin could not make new tyres in time for the race.
Michelin asked Charlie to add a special curve, called a chicane, to Turn 13 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track. This would have made the turn safer for the unsafe tyres. However, Charlie said no. He explained that changing the track would be unfair to the teams whose tyres were safe. He wanted the race to be fair for everyone.
His Passing
Charlie Whiting passed away on 14 March 2019, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was 66 years old. He died from a pulmonary embolism, which is a serious blood clot.
Images for kids
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Whiting at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix
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See also
In Spanish: Charlie Whiting para niños
