<p align="left">Formula One race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, has died three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Thursday. He was 66.</p>.<p>The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, it said.</p>.<p>"It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie's sudden passing," said FIA President Jean Todt.</p>.<p>"He has been a great race director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula One has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie."</p>.<p>Whiting, who worked for Brabham with the sport's former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s, joined the FIA in 1988. He had been race director since 1997.</p>.<p>The news was met with shock in the Formula One paddock where Whiting was close to drivers, with whom he conducted pre-race briefings, and teams who sought technical guidance and clarifications.</p>.<p>Former champions McLaren said they were "shocked and deeply saddened”.</p>.<p>"Charlie will be remembered as one of the giants of our sport, as well as a great colleague. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all of his loved ones," the team said on Twitter.</p>
<p align="left">Formula One race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, has died three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Thursday. He was 66.</p>.<p>The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, it said.</p>.<p>"It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie's sudden passing," said FIA President Jean Todt.</p>.<p>"He has been a great race director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula One has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie."</p>.<p>Whiting, who worked for Brabham with the sport's former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s, joined the FIA in 1988. He had been race director since 1997.</p>.<p>The news was met with shock in the Formula One paddock where Whiting was close to drivers, with whom he conducted pre-race briefings, and teams who sought technical guidance and clarifications.</p>.<p>Former champions McLaren said they were "shocked and deeply saddened”.</p>.<p>"Charlie will be remembered as one of the giants of our sport, as well as a great colleague. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all of his loved ones," the team said on Twitter.</p>