94 replies to this topic

[Beri]

News is seeping through that Mateschitz has passed away.

With his company being in F1 in some form for already more than 3 decades, it is sad that such a colorful and F1 minded person has passed away.

[FLB]

Ö3 is the ORF, the national Austrian radio-television network:

 

Ö3 Newsflash sur Twitter : "Red Bull-Gründer Dietrich Mateschitz ist tot. Der gebürtige Steirer ist im Alter von 78 Jahren nach langer Krankheit gestorben." / Twitter

[Ferrim]

Wow! So unexpected. May he rest in peace.

EDIT: just seen he had been said to be in poor health a few weeks ago. I missed that at the time.

Edited by Ferrim, 22 October 2022 - 21:21.

[MortenF1]

Oh, that genuinely saddens me. 🫤

[TheFish]

Strange how someone so crucial in F1 managed to stay out of the spotlight so much.

Sad news, thoughts are with his family.

[Laster]

Wow! So unexpected. May he rest in peace.

EDIT: just seen he had been said to be in poor health a few weeks ago. I missed that at the time.

Yes a lot of the stuff surrounding Porsche was reported to do with him wanting to secure the teams future as a result of his poor health.

It’s a shame for F1, regardless of what anyone thinks of Red Bull the man has kept two teams in F1 for nearly two decades, that’s a huge commitment to the sport.

[FullOppositeLock]

RIP Dieter. Sad news. Commiserations to his loved ones. Could potentially have significant repercussions on Red Bull’s many motorsport endeavours.

[ColeTrickle44]

sad news. RIP Dieter

[F1 Mike]

Sad time for Motorsport. Owner of a drinks manufacturer who just genuinely loved everything about motor racing and many things beyond that. Could argue Red Bull has become the greatest soft drinks manufacturer of all time under his watch.

[P123]

It had been reported a few weeks back he was seriously unwell.  A shame those stories have turned out to have validity.  RIP.

 

His company has been an integral part of F1 over the past couple of decades plus.  A lot have come and gone in that time, but he put the right people in the right roles, didn't needlessly meddle, and properly backed his team financially to go on and achieve huge success, which will likely be added to by another pole and victory this weekend.

[Scaboo22]

Damn. Hoped the reports of poor health from some weeks ago were just false rumors…

RIP sir, and thank you for investing so much in Motorsport and sport in general!

[Myrvold]

Red Bull have been everywhere and in everything for years and years. Mateschitz together with the Thais really built something, and created a whole economic around something new. Regardless of what one feels about the F1 team(s), energy drinks, political views etc. There is no denying at all that the land of sport, extreme sport and motorsport would be very different without him! May he rest in peace!

 

 

It will also be interesting to see how this affects the team(s) and Red Bull themselves. But that's for later.

[pitlanepalpatine]

RIP, he's invested a fortune in sports and weird fun stuff over the years and through that had a fundamental impact on how F1 teams run. He's supported some weird decisions over the years but we probably wouldn't have driver academys without him.

[Ali_G]

RIP. Gave huge funding to Sauber for years. Saved both Jaguar and Minardi teams at a time when F1 was becoming less and less popular. Put millions into developing driver talent.

Hell, Red Bull were the ones who made the Rachau Hill climb possible. I hope this doesn’t cause issues for both teams going forward.

[Ali_G]

Red Bull have been everywhere and in everything for years and years. Mateschitz together with the Thais really built something, and created a whole economic around something new. Regardless of what one feels about the F1 team(s), energy drinks, political views etc. There is no denying at all that the land of sport, extreme sport and motorsport would be very different without him! May he rest in peace!


It will also be interesting to see how this affects the team(s) and Red Bull themselves. But that's for later.

Red Bull is as much an experiment in advertising as it is a drink. Every odd ball sporting event was sponsored by Red Bull in the 90s. Red Bull became a very desirable product at a high price point. To be able to muscle in, in an industry dominated by Coke and Pepsi was amazing.

[FLB]

RIP. Gave huge funding to Sauber for years. Saved both Jaguar and Minardi teams at a time when F1 was becoming less and less popular. Put millions into developing driver talent.

Hell, Red Bull were the ones who made the Rachau Hill climb possible. I hope this doesn’t cause issues for both teams going forward.

 

Even prior to that. He was already involved in Gerhard Berger's career in 1985.

 

Berger looks back: 'Mateschitz offered a sponsorship deal, with no money or business' - GPblog

Edited by FLB, 22 October 2022 - 21:36.

[RedWolf]

RIP Dieter

[Myrvold]

Red Bull is as much an experiment in advertising as it is a drink. Every odd ball sporting event was sponsored by Red Bull in the 90s. Red Bull became a very desirable product at a high price point. To be able to muscle in, in an industry dominated by Coke and Pepsi was amazing.

 

Yup, and it opened up a whole new market for "energy drinks". Quite amazing.

[Ben1980]

49% owner of RedBull. And a private company. Will be interesting how they move as a company.

[basimi]

Rest in peace.

[sheSgoTthElooK]

Rest In Peace.

What a coincidence that Max won the championship right before his death…

What a news right before Q !

All the best to his family.

[BleuMurmure]

RIP Dietrich

Edited by BleuMurmure, 22 October 2022 - 21:50.

[renzmann]

Thank you for Max!

[cpbell]

I was unaware that he was unwell.  Very sad news, even though I feel that some damage has been done to the legacy of his motorsport efforts by Dr. Marko and Horner in recent years.

[renzmann]

Marko is crushed in the Sky Germany interview right now. They were personal friends. A little weird they drag him in front of the camera so quickly.

 

Says Dietrich wasn't especially bothered about the budget cap saga. Marko and Verstappen visited him in Austria last week and he could enjoy Verstappen's WDC.

Edited by renzmann, 22 October 2022 - 21:46.

[Scaboo22]

Think about how many champions were created directly because of his investment in sports, how many athletes got the opportunity to perform at the highest level in their field who maybe wouldn’t have gotten that chance otherwise.

Yea he created the biggest energy drinks company but to me his biggest accomplishment is providing opportunity to so many. It is to be celebrated, and I am sure his legacy will continue for many decades to come. Quite saddened by this news…

Edited by Scaboo22, 22 October 2022 - 21:48.

[TomNokoe]

Awful. RIP.

[Clrnc]

RIP. Thanks for all the great contribution to motorsports. 

[Ruusperi]

There were some rumors of him passing away already a few weeks ago. Seems like his condition was grave already then.

Casts a shadow over the event. He will be remembered today and tomorrow during the broadcast.

[SenorSjon]

Wow, he was declared dead earlier (around Monza), but now he passed away. RIP

[Leibowitz]

Rip. One of the greats.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

RIP Dietrich Mateschitz, he gave so much to F1 and the world of sport in general. What a legacy to leave behind with the success of Red Bull in many different spheres of life and he always seemed like a humble guy that didn’t like the focus to be on him.

[klyster]

Rest in peace Dietrich.

Thanks heaps for your enthusiasm.

Edited by klyster, 22 October 2022 - 22:27.

[Anja]

Even though he chose to stay out of the spotlight we all knew how much he was doing for the sport, I can't help but have a certain "end of an era" feeling about this. RIP

Edited by Anja, 22 October 2022 - 22:10.

[Fastcake]

78 years old, not a bad age at all.

 

RIP Dieter. Sad news. Commiserations to his loved ones. Could potentially have significant repercussions on Red Bull’s many motorsport endeavours.

I had been wondering that recently strangely enough. But perhaps not quite the moment to chat about this.

[Risil]

Ah, that is sad. He did a lot for motor sport, and that NASCAR adventure aside he had a knack for picking winners. Will read the obituaries with interest as I'm sure there's a great deal I don't know.

[RPM40]

He has had a significant positive impact on both F1 but also international motorsports in general.

RIP

[krapmeister]

RIP Dieter Mateschitz

Influenced F1 massively during his time in the sport.

Commiserations to his family and all involved with the Red Bull company and racing team.

[Amz964]

Very sad news to hear of Dietrich passing. He did a lot for the sport and all sorts of Motorsport around the world.

[MKSixer]

RIP, sir.  Marketing genius and friend of all sports.  You will be missed.

[w1Y]

RIP. Did a lot to support the sport.

[Sam1]

Sad news, thoughts are with his family.

[Sam1]

Sad news, thoughts are with his family.

[Makingtime]

A sad day for F1 and racing in general. Rest in peace, you earned it

[OvDrone]

A Racer. Cheers Dietrich.

[kumo7]

Sad news indeed.
Rest in peace, Dietrich Mateschitz you have made the era, in your drink business, formula one but obviously beyond, to all sporting activities, challenging the thrill that current technology could afford to men. Flying.

I recall Red Bull were ‘concerned’ when it stepped in as the race team owner, even if his participation to F1 was much longer. I think he was a creative, charismatic, an eager but patient racer.

Great personality, a phenomenon. My thoughts are with everyone who knew him intimately.

Rest In Peace, you are a legend.

[Pete_f1]

Thank you for what you brought to the sport, it was what was needed after the tobacco money stopped.

RIP

[jonpollak]

A drivers booster !!!
We need more like this.

RIP
Jp

[Alfisti]

I know nothing of his personal life or the way he did business but I do know he financed a great deal of motorsport over the past 3 decades. Not just f1, all sorts of stuff.

I regard him as a racer, and for that I am thankful.

[FLB]

Thank you for what you brought to the sport, it was what was needed after the tobacco money stopped.

RIP

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

 

He was a François Guiter (Elf) or a John Hogan (Philip Morris). That's his legacy to the sport and it's major.

Edited by FLB, 23 October 2022 - 00:08.