Haas will run a tribute to FIA race director Charlie Whiting, who died yesterday, on the nose of its car during this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
Team principal Guenther Steiner said Whiting played an invaluable role in helping the team enter the sport.“Charlie was a very big part of this sport,” said Steiner. “We all know him, he was always polite. He never had anything bad to say which is amazing from a person in his job, especially. My condolences to his family because he was too young to go.
“I think he was a friend of Haas [and] he was a personal friend. I would say without the help of Charlie in the beginning five years ago, [when] he advised us how to do things best, we wouldn’t be here. So I’ve got a lot of respect for what he did.”
Whiting spent over two decades in the role of FIA race director, overseeing almost 400 grands prix. Steiner said he deserved to be remembered as one of the people who helped make the sport great.
“I think we always have to remember him being one of the big ones in this sport to make it what it is now. We never have to forget. We can show up here, have a good time, have a good life out of this, because of people like Charlie. So a lot of respect to him.”
Other teams have also arranged tributes to Whiting at short notice following his death yesterday morning. Ferrari personnel are already wearing black armbands and Mercedes has also ordered some. The F1 two-seater car is carrying the name ‘Charlie’ on its rear wing this weekend.
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Phylyp (@phylyp)
15th March 2019, 15:41
That’s a very nice tribute to him.
Tango (@tango)
15th March 2019, 16:02
I think we as outsiders will see the difference when we will have a race without a “tell Charlie that…”.
Lancer033 (@lancer033)
15th March 2019, 19:42
I’ll bet we still hear that phrase at least once this year out of habit from the drivers and crews. Most of the drivers barely remember F1 without Charlie.
Xcm
15th March 2019, 19:04
Super classy haas.
Mark in Florida
16th March 2019, 0:35
Charlie will be missed he always seemed to be a steady hand at the races.Charlie died doing what he enjoyed not many people can say that. Real nice of Haas to personally memorialize Charlie like that. It would be nice if the Australian GP could name a straight or corner to remember him by since he died on the job there.