It is with great sadness that we must announce the death of Dietrich Mateschitz, co-owner of Red Bull. The Austrian billionaire passed away at the age of 78 after a long battle with illness.
About Dietrich Mateschitz
Mateschitz was integral in Red Bull’s involvement in Formula One, buying the Jaguar F1 team in 2004 and renaming it Red Bull Racing the following season. Sebastian Vettel landed Red Bull’s first F1 title in 2010 and went on to win four consecutive championships. This season, Max Verstappen secured his second championship in a row.
Red Bull Racing is set to wrap up this season’s constructors’ championship this weekend.
In a statement, Mateschitz’s son said: “It is with great sadness that we must announce the death of Dietrich Mateschitz. He was an incredible man who achieved so much in his life. He was a visionary and an innovator, but most importantly he was a family man who loved his children and grandchildren more than anything else. We will miss him enormously and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”
Mateschitz was a self-made man, founding Red Bull in 1984 when he saw an opportunity to create an energy drink that would help people stay alert and productive. The company quickly became one of the world’s leading energy drink brands and made Mateschitz one of the richest men in the world.
He was known for his love of racing, which began when he was just a child growing up in Austria. He raced motorcycles in his younger years and later became involved in Formula One as a team owner. In addition to Formula One, he also owned two other racing teams – one in NASCAR and one in MotoGP.
Mateschitz was a private man who rarely gave interviews and preferred to stay out of the public eye. He is survived by his wife, six children, and ten grandchildren.
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz leaves a big hole in the company. He was not only the owner, but also the visionary behind Red Bull. His legacy will live on through the empire he build and the people he inspired. Thank you for your contribution to the world, Dietrich Mateschitz. You will be dearly missed.