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Charlie Whiting, director of Formula 1, died at the age of 66, three days before the opening race of the new season.
The FIA confirmed in a statement that Whiting was suffering from pulmonary embolism in Melbourne prior to the Australian Grand Prix.
Whiting has been an F1 racing director since 1997. He joined the FIA in 1988, before working for the Brabham and Hesketh Formula One teams.
Jean Todt, president of the FIA, said: "It is with great sadness that I learned of the sudden death of Charlie.
"I've known Charlie Whiting for many years and he's a great race director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula 1 that embodies the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport.
"Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambbadador to Charlie. All my thoughts, those of the FIA and the entire motor sport community go to his family, his friends and all Formula 1 lovers. "
The FIA has not yet confirmed who will take over from Whiting in overseeing the race this weekend.
Formula 1 GM Ross Brawn described Whiting's death as "tragic".
"I've known Charlie all my life in the race," Brawn said. "We worked together as mechanics, became friends and spent a lot of time together on race tracks around the world.
"I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news. I am devastated. It's a big loss not only for me personally but also for the whole family of Formula 1, the FIA and motor sport as a whole. All our thoughts are with his family.
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