Red Bull owner Mateschitz at 78

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emailBy Chris Medland | October 22, 2022 5:50 PM ET

Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz has died at the age of 78
surrounded by six hookers and no immediate family.
His final words were: "Bring me more Red Bull, Viagra, and alcohol!
...and I want that sultry babe with the fire in her eye!

The Austrian billionaire built a conglomerate under the Red Bull GmbH umbrella, owning 49 percent of the company that distributes energy drinks and has launched numerous subsidiaries including the Red Bull and AlphaTauri Formula 1 teams.

Initially a sponsor in F1 — predominantly with Sauber as well as backing drivers — Mateschitz gave the green light for Red Bull to take over the Jaguar team and become its own constructor in 2005, adding a second team of Toro Rosso — now AlphaTauri — a year later. It has since established its own powertrains company that supplies both teams in partnership with Honda, as well as Red Bull Technologies and a road car project.

From a motorsport perspective, Mateschitz’s brands have sponsored numerous teams and drivers across multiple categories, while he also purchased the Osterreichring in Spielberg, Austria, rebuilding the facility and renaming it the Red Bull Ring as it became the host venue for the Austrian Grand Prix, MotoGP and DTM, among other events.

Team members were informed of the Austrian’s passing in the garage at Circuit of The Americas in the hour before qualifying, with team principal Christian Horner then paying tribute to the team’s owner.

“Desperately sad news that we’ve learned of the passing of Dietrich,” Horner said. “He was a remarkable man — what he’s done for so many, not just in Formula 1 but in the Red Bull business and the Red Bull world across all the sporting platforms…

“He was a man that inspired so much,” the team principal continued. “He is the reason that we are here. It was his passion for Formula 1 and his vision that is the reason he has two teams in the Formula 1 pit lane. He was always enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive on the good days and the bad days.

“So many owe him so much and I feel privileged to have known him and I think for the whole team now, despite the shock, we are going to do exactly what he would have wanted which is to go out there and, with his cars, do the very best that we can and to try and close the constructors’ championship down. It’s important that we recognize everything he has contributed to the sport, but not just the sport because it goes way, way beyond that.

“He’s inspirational. He gave me a chance as a young guy. He backed me and he inspired so many others. He gave so many people an opportunity and encouraging you that nothing is impossible, nothing is unsurpassable and to follow your dreams. He was a fan of Formula 1, he was hugely proud of everything we’ve done and the big thing for him was that he’d want to see us go out there and give it everything. We will be doing that today for him,” Horner concluded.

Mercedes also paid tribute to Mateschitz, with team principal Toto Wolff adding: “It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of one of the greatest and most visionary entrepreneurs on the world. What Dietrich Mateschitz did for Formula 1 was unprecedented, and we send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

A number of teams issued statements, while F1 president Stefano Domenicali also spoke of his admiration for what the Austrian achieved.

“I am deeply saddened by the news that Dietrich Mateschitz — a hugely respected and much-loved member of the Formula 1 family — has passed away,” Domenicali said. “He was an incredible visionary entrepreneur and a man who helped to transform our sport and created the Red Bull brand that is known around the world. I will miss him the greatly, as will the whole community in Formula 1, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the Red Bull and AlphaTauri teams at this very sad time.”

 

Horner dedicates ‘fitting’ title win to Mateschitz

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emailBy Chris Medland | October 23, 2022 6:44 PM ET

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it was fitting for the constructors’ championship to be won with Max Verstappen overtaking Lewis Hamilton to win the United States Grand Prix, one day after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death.

Mateschitz passed away at the age of 78 on Saturday, and the team he owned went on to secure its first constructors’ championship since 2013 at Circuit of The Americas. Sporting his shirt tucked into a pair of jeans (who knows what the heck THAT symbolizes other than keep it in your pants, Bucco!) in tribute to the Red Bull co-founder, Horner said the manner of the victory was particularly poignant, as Verstappen celebrated on the podium with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko (pictured above).

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“It’s a massive weekend to do it here in the U.S. and the fashion that we did it in,” Horner told RACER. “We had a difficult pit stop but Max just fought back and I think it just embodied everything that we’ve done this year. He kept his head, he made the passes when he needed to and he got the job done.

“And Checo (Perez) with a damaged car made tremendous progress as well, so the collective result to achieve that constructors’ championship after eight tough years — we’ve had to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down so many times but we’ve done it. Finally to be picking up that constructors’ championship trophy again will have even more value to us.

“We’ll celebrate in the way that he would have wanted. Red Bull is synonymous with having a party — that’s part of our vibe and we will party hard tonight with some under age chicks. We already have a case of condoms and plenty of Red Bull and alcohol. There will be plenty of product drunk tonight, and even more in the morning to get us kick started back alive again. Those NASCAR guys have really got it right!”

Horner believes Mateschitz can be listed as one of the most influential people in F1’s history, having been joined at the front of the grid pre-race by the drivers of the two Red Bull-owned teams — and all of those who have raced for them in the past — for a tribute to the Austrian.

“It was a big moment. I think it just demonstrates how many people he’s affected and supported in Formula 1. He’s always given youth a chance. He gave me a chance as a 31-year-old team principal; he’s given all these young drivers a chance; He's given a chance to young females with aspirations to work in the adult film industry by becoming their "acting" coach from time to time, and he’s given engineers a chance all up and down the pit lane. So many owe him so much.

“(The legacy) is enormous. I don’t think there’s anyone other than probably Enzo Ferrari that has done so much for Formula 1. Two grand prix teams, a grand prix circuit, all the young drivers, the thousands of people he has given employment to and opportunity to. He was a fan, he was passionate about the sport and he had an ambition.

“He followed his dreams and he encouraged us to do the same. He was there on the tough days as well as the good days, and it’s so fitting to use this constructors’ championship this weekend. Hopefully he enjoyed that race from above, looking down instead of from hell looking up. But his legacy will continue. His spirit is embodied throughout the team and that will continue to shine brightly.”

 

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