News of Mateschitz’s death came just before F1 qualifying in Austin, Texas, on Saturday. Emotions were also evident in Max Verstappen’s face and voice as he paid a moving tribute to the great lover of the sport.
“It’s almost unbelievable what he’s done,” said two-time F1 world champion Verstappen. “Luckily I was able to spend some time with him a few weeks ago, which is even more special now. I really enjoyed it. It is a great loss for all of us. I wouldn’t be here today without him. What he has done for me in Formula 1, but also for my whole life and future, is huge. I can’t thank him enough for that.”
Only now is it becoming public knowledge how Didi Mateschitz watched “his” sports and athletes, how much he liked them. At the same time, he did not like to show off, did not like to brag, did not give interviews and guarded his privacy.
I have no problem doing a sports project that loses money if I enjoy it.
The Austrian billionaire, who died on Saturday aged 78, leaves a huge legacy in Formula 1 and other sports, but also in global business as the man who invented energy drinks and founded one of the most successful F1 teams of the modern era.
Verstappen was soon joined by other F1 drivers – Carlos Sainz, Sebastian Vettel… but also Ester Ledecká. Since they knew “Didi” well in the F1 stable, instead of black belts, Mateschitz’s favorite Rolling Stones played from the garages at the weekend and the team members wore jeans in his honor.
“He was a very important person for me and I wouldn’t be in Formula 1 without him,” said F1 team boss Christian Horner. “But not just me, so many young talents in motorsport, so many athletes supported by the brand’s program and so many sports that depend on the ability that Mateschitz has shown in supporting the sport. I think so many of us owe him a big thank you and we will always remember him,” he said with tears in his eyes.
Then, when Max Verstappen won in Austin on Sunday, it was a huge satisfaction for the team and everyone made it clear that it was a victory for the late boss. “Especially this victory means a lot to us. I remember the long journey Didi and I took. He valued his privacy but lived with incredible passion. He had a dream that one day he would get Red Bull to start F1, and at the end of it there were even two stables (to Red Bull, junior year Toro Rosso, today’s AlphaTauri, was added). “He believed in us and always supported us. This victory and this year’s title belong to him. We will celebrate today in his honor, because he would have wanted it that way,” Horner emphasized.
Others joined in, such as Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, a compatriot of the late billionaire. “For me, Dietrich is one of the most incredible entrepreneurs in the world. He created a market that didn’t exist. What he has done for Austria, for football, for ice hockey, the racing program… He is probably the biggest contribution to F1 by an individual,” said Wolff.
It was unbelievable how wide Mateschitz was in sports. He supported various industries, including football, hockey or cycling. It has a huge merit in the fact that all kinds of adrenaline sports literally broke through from the underground to the light of the world. Acrobatic flying, extreme water jumps, freeride competitions on skis, extreme descents on bicycles…
Thanks to Ester Ledecka
The Czech snowboarding and skiing star Ester Ledecká connected her name to this world some time ago. “Dear Mr. Mateschitz, I was hoping that one day I would have the opportunity to meet you personally. Today, however, I learned that I won’t be so lucky anymore. At least in this way, I would now like to thank you for everything you have done for world sport. I am honored to be at least a small part of your big story. Rest in peace,” she wrote her condolences on social networks.
Mateschitz was a solitary figure, never seeking the limelight. So little was known about him outside of the small circle of people he allowed to get close to him. “Dietrich was always super kind and caring,” said Verstappen. “He didn’t like to be in the spotlight. Actually, he was always there, but he didn’t want to be in front of the cameras. When you got to know him in person, he was super nice. The commitment he has shown to F1 is incredible, as is the amount of young talent he has supported.”
For example, Wolff recalls what Mateschitz once told him: “I have no problem doing a sports project that loses money if I enjoy it.” Not many entrepreneurs have said something like that.
The native of Styria was the driving force behind the energy drink’s entry into the world of motorsport in the mid-1990s. He first combined Red Bull with Sauber in 1995. That partnership ended in the 2001 season, but three years later a major step came when he bought Jaguar Racing and turned the moribund team into the Red Bull Racing team. In the same year, he also bought the A1-Ring racing circuit, took care of its reconstruction and reopened it in 2011 under the name Red Bull Ring. A year after Jaguar, he also bought the Minardi stable, which gave birth to the Scuderia Toro Rosso team. The red bull was thus firmly anchored in F1, and four single-seaters with the typical logo began to roam the world circuits.
