VIENNA: Formula One world champion Max Verstappen led the tributes on Sunday to Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who turned the energy drink into a worldwide success and pumped money into a title-winning F1 team and several football clubs.
Mateschitz died on Saturday at the age of 78 after a long illness, having amassed a fortune estimated by Forbes at $27.4 billion (27.8 billion euros), making him Austria’s richest person.
He took a sweet drink that was already popular in Asia for its apparent energy-giving properties and adapted it to Western tastes.
Mateschitz was a savvy marketing man who popularised the Red Bull brand by associating it with sport, investing heavily in Formula One, football and extreme pursuits.
Red Bull now employs 13,000 people in 172 countries with an annual turnover of around eight billion euros. It sells nearly 10 billion cans of the drink a year.
Verstappen, who two weeks ago won his second consecutive world drivers’ title at the wheel of a Red Bull car, said he was determined to deliver a strong performance in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix as a tribute to Mateschitz.
“It’s been hard news for everyone, for Red Bull and for the sport and for me in general, in my career and in my life,” the Dutchman said.
“It is a very tough day. We missed out in qualifying by a little bit, but there is a race tomorrow and we’ll try to do it for him... we are going to make him proud.”
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said Mateschitz had led a “simply breathtaking life.”
“Dietrich Mateschitz built up a world-famous and successful company, and we have lost a great supporter of top-class sport and extreme sports,” the president tweeted.
Apart from its substantial investment in the F1 team, Red Bull bought the football club of the Austrian city of Salzburg in 2005, then in 2009 acquired Leipzig when the German team were languishing in the fifth division.
German law bans the use of a company title in a club’s name, so the Leipzig board of directors called their club RasenBallsport Leipzig — literally “lawn ball sport” Leipzig — whose initials “RB” mirror those of Red Bull.
From 2016, the club were promoted to the Bundesliga top flight and one season later qualified for the Champions League after finishing second in the table.
The Austrian company also captured the New York MetroStars franchise in the United States in 2006, turning them into the New York Red Bulls.
Red Bull has also branched out into extreme sports, sponsoring events such as air acrobatics and cliff diving.
When Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumped to earth from a helium balloon in 2012, his suit was plastered with the Red Bull logo.
But it is in Formula One that the company has really made its mark in the world of sport.
The head of the Red Bull F1 team, Christian Horner, said “thankfully” Mateschitz lived to see Verstappen clinch his second title by winning the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month.
Horner said Mateschitz was “a great man, one of few of a kind” who had “proved you can make a difference. He was a passionate supporter and the backbone of all we do.”
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz secured pole position for the Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, but his thoughts were with his former team.
“I can’t be too happy after the loss of Dietrich Mateschitz. My condolences to his family, friends and the entire Red Bull family,” Sainz said on Twitter.
Red Bull are currently facing accusations from rival teams that they have cheated by breaching Formula One’s cost cap regulations.
The Red Bull drink was born during one of Mateschitz’s many business trips as marketing director of a German cosmetics company when he was served a sweet beverage common in Asia in a luxury bar in Hong Kong.
He was immediately fond of it and was impressed by the drink’s apparent ability to help him overcome his jet lag.
He decided to partner with the drink’s developer Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya and the two men founded Red Bull in 1984.
Verstappen leads tributes to Red Bull founder Mateschitz
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Verstappen leads tributes to Red Bull founder Mateschitz
- Dietrich Mateschitz was a savvy marketing man who popularised the Red Bull brand by associating it with sport
- The Red Bull drink was born when Mateschitz was served a sweet beverage in a luxury bar in Hong Kong
Alcaraz and Sabalenka set sights on Australian Open fourth round
- Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two
- Top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka return to the Australian Open battlefield on Friday with fourth round berths at stake, joined in the fight by third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev.
Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two and faces another tricky encounter against French 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
The 22-year-old has again been handed an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, once more following Sabalenka on to Melbourne Park’s center court.
The Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova to kick-off day six where temperatures are forecast to soar.
Alcaraz, who is bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four majors, said his testing 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann in round two served him well.
“I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.
“Just happy that I’m just improving every day after every match. So hopefully being better in the next round.”
Alcaraz has never gone past the quarter-finals in his four trips to Australia.
Should he beat Moutet, he will meet either American 19th seed Tommy Paul or Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to make the last eight once again.
Sabalenka, as the overwhelming favorite, was upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final but insists revenge is not her motivation.
“I look at each match as a new match, new opportunity. I have also been working really hard,” she said.
“For me, it doesn’t matter what was in the past. For me, it’s the new match.”
Like Sabalenka, Gauff has been impressive so far, saying she was “near perfect” in making the third round.
She faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, on Margaret Court Arena.
World number three Gauff takes to the court after Russia’s three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who lines up against Hungary’s Fabian Marozan.
Last year’s beaten finalist Zverev has dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have a tough encounter in an evening clash on John Cain Arena against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.
Women’s seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik are also in action.
Home hope and sixth seed Alex De Minaur has again been awarded the night match on center court, this time against dangerous American Frances Tiafoe.
Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva rounds out the day’s action on Rod Laver Arena in a clash with Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
