Charlie Whiting
Encyclopedia
Charlie Whiting is FIA
Formula One
Race Director, Safety Delegate, Permanent Starter and head of the F1 Technical Department, in which capacities he generally manages the logistics of each F1 Grand Prix, inspects cars in Parc fermé
before a race, enforces FIA rules, and controls the lights which start each race.
racing circuit in England
. In the mid seventies the brothers were running at Surtees
in the 1976 British F5000 series for race driver Divina Galica
. For the 1977 season Whiting joined Hesketh Racing at Easton Neston, near Silverstone
. Following the demise of the team, he joined Bernie Ecclestone
's Brabham team at Weybridge
, where he would stay for the following decade, becoming chief mechanic for the World Drivers' Championship successes of Nelson Piquet
in and and later rising to chief engineer, while Nick went on to open a Motor Racing spares shop near the Brands Hatch circuit. Nick was murdered in 1990.
In he became Technical delegate to the FIA Formula One
and in he was appointed FIA Race Director and Safety Delegate.
, he was involved in a controversy when none of the tyres which Michelin
had brought to Indianapolis were safe to use. The French tyre company was unable to produce new tyres with which to replace its seven customer Formula One
teams' unsafe equipment and asked Whiting to install a chicane
in Turn 13 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
instead. He refused on the grounds that this would be unfair to the teams who were able to race safely on the existing track.
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Race Director, Safety Delegate, Permanent Starter and head of the F1 Technical Department, in which capacities he generally manages the logistics of each F1 Grand Prix, inspects cars in Parc fermé
Parc fermé
Parc fermé, literally meaning "closed park" in French, is a term used to describe a secure area at a Grand Prix circuit wherein the cars are driven back to the pits post-race. According to the FIA Formula One regulations, the area must be sufficiently large and secure so as to prevent unauthorised...
before a race, enforces FIA rules, and controls the lights which start each race.
Career history
His first job was assisting his brother Nick in preparing saloon and rally cars near the Brands HatchBrands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
racing circuit in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In the mid seventies the brothers were running at Surtees
Surtees
The Surtees Racing Organisation was a race team that spent nine seasons as a constructor in Formula One, Formula 2, and Formula 5000.-History:...
in the 1976 British F5000 series for race driver Divina Galica
Divina Galica
Divina Mary Galica MBE is an English sportswoman, best known for her Olympics career and her motorsport racing career.-Skiing career:...
. For the 1977 season Whiting joined Hesketh Racing at Easton Neston, near Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
. Following the demise of the team, he joined Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
's Brabham team at Weybridge
Weybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
, where he would stay for the following decade, becoming chief mechanic for the World Drivers' Championship successes of Nelson Piquet
Nelson Piquet
Nelson Piquet Souto Maior , known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver. He was Formula One world champion in , and . He is one of eight drivers to win three or more world championships, the others being Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna , Alain Prost , Juan...
in and and later rising to chief engineer, while Nick went on to open a Motor Racing spares shop near the Brands Hatch circuit. Nick was murdered in 1990.
In he became Technical delegate to the FIA Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
and in he was appointed FIA Race Director and Safety Delegate.
2005 United States Grand Prix
During the United States Grand Prix2005 United States Grand Prix
The 2005 United States Grand Prix was one of the most controversial Formula One motor races in modern history. It was held on June 19, 2005 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the ninth race of the 2005 Formula One season. Out of 20 cars entered for the race, only the six cars from the teams...
, he was involved in a controversy when none of the tyres which Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
had brought to Indianapolis were safe to use. The French tyre company was unable to produce new tyres with which to replace its seven customer Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
teams' unsafe equipment and asked Whiting to install a chicane
Chicane
A chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
in Turn 13 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
instead. He refused on the grounds that this would be unfair to the teams who were able to race safely on the existing track.
External links
- The first part of the correspondence between Whiting and MichelinMichelinMichelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
's Pierre DupasquierPierre DupasquierPierre Dupasquier is the former head of Michelin's Competition Department.Born in France, he spent his early life as a pilot with the French Air Force, but was hired by Michelin's research division in 1962...
regarding the events of the 2005 United States Grand Prix2005 United States Grand PrixThe 2005 United States Grand Prix was one of the most controversial Formula One motor races in modern history. It was held on June 19, 2005 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the ninth race of the 2005 Formula One season. Out of 20 cars entered for the race, only the six cars from the teams... - The second part of the correspondence