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Charlie Whiting, head of the Formula 1 for the FIA and one of the most influential personalities in sports for decades, has died at the age of 66.
Whiting suffered a pulmonary embolism Wednesday morning in Melbourne, where he was scheduled to officiate at the Australian GP's opening of the season this weekend.
Whiting was the official starter of the race and oversaw all the rules in F1.
The president of the FIA, Jean Todt, has called Whiting "a central and inimitable character embodying the ethics and spirit" of F1.
Whiting had been working for the FIA since 1988, when he was appointed technical director.
He was previously chief engineer and then chief engineer of the Brabham team of Bernie Ecclestone, former F1 boss, who won the world championships in 1981 and 1983.
Whiting began his F1 career with the Hesketh team in 1977, then at Brabham in 1978 and remained there until he joined the FIA, where he had since held a central position in F1 management.
Todt added: "Formula 1 has lost a loyal friend and a charismatic ambbadador to Charlie."
Whiting's death leaves a hole in the organization of the Australian Grand Prix by the FIA - he was the team's favorite man for everything related to the F1 weekend.
The organization has not yet announced how it will be replaced.
The McLaren team paid tribute to Whiting, tweeting: "All members of McLaren are shocked and deeply saddened by the pbading of Charlie Whiting, Charlie will be remembered as one of the giants of our sport, as well as a great colleague." Our most sincere sympathies and thoughts go to all his relatives. "
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