Motor racing-Crimson Bull F1 workforce mourn demise of founder Mateschitz at 78 By Reuters

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) -Components One and the championship-leading Crimson Bull workforce mourned the demise of the power drink firm’s Austrian founder Dietrich Mateschitz on Saturday on the age of 78.

Crimson Bull Racing principal Christian Horner confirmed the information forward of qualifying for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the place the workforce can clinch a fifth constructors’ championship.

Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen has already received the drivers’ title for the second 12 months in a row.

“What he (Mateschitz) achieved and what he is achieved for thus many individuals all over the world, throughout totally different sports activities, is second to none,” mentioned Horner.

“So many people should be so grateful to him for the alternatives that he is supplied, the imaginative and prescient that he had, the energy of character and by no means being afraid to comply with and chase your goals.

“That is what he did right here in Components One, proving you can make a distinction … so many drivers, so many workforce members, so many individuals on this pitlane owe him a lot,” he informed Sky Sports activities tv.

Mateschitz purchased the Ford-owned Jaguar workforce on the finish of 2004 and turned it into Crimson Bull Racing, an outfit whose maverick picture masked a fierce aggressive spirit.

The Austrian additionally purchased the Italy-based Minardi workforce and renamed it Toro Rosso, the Italian for Crimson Bull. They now compete as AlphaTauri, the corporate’s vogue model.

The arrival of Adrian Newey, one of many sport’s best designers who had penned title-winning vehicles for Williams and McLaren, turbocharged Crimson Bull’s progress and Germany’s Sebastian Vettel received 4 titles in a row from 2010-13.

Crimson Bull additionally received the constructors’ title in all 4 seasons.

“I’m deeply saddened by the information that Dietrich Mateschitz, a massively revered and much-loved member of the Components One household has handed away,” mentioned Components One chief govt Stefano Domenicali.

“He was an unbelievable visionary entrepreneur and a person who helped to rework our sport and created the Crimson Bull model that’s recognized all all over the world.”