The usual tinkering and tinkering on the F1 cars of Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez was interrupted shortly before qualifying on Saturday in Austin, USA, by sad news from Austria. Red Bull founder and major shareholder Dietrich Mateschitz (78), an important player in motorsport, has apparently died.

In 2005, Mateschitz successfully connected Red Bull with the pinnacle of motorsport. This year, the Austrian energy drink giant took over the ailing Jaguar Formula 1 team. After a few start-up years, the new Red Bull Racing Team won the world title for the first time in 2010 with driver Sebastiaan Vettel. The German won the world title four years in a row with the racing team.

From then on, Mateschitz had a significant influence on Formula 1. He gave many young racing talents opportunities at Red Bull Racing and the hotbed Toro Rosso, the training team.

The obituary overshadowed the qualification. Verstappen wanted to honor the man who gave him confidence as a teenager and made his Formula 1 debut with a pole position in Texas.

That mission just failed. Verstappen simply couldn’t keep up with the times of his Ferrari opponents Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the qualifying final. He goes into Sunday’s race second due to a grid penalty from Leclerc.

Mixed feelings

Due to the death of Mateschitz, Verstappen went to the track with mixed feelings. The two knew each other well. Far from the limelight, Mateschitz played a key role in Verstappen’s career. They were in regular contact.

“He was a very sweet person who didn’t like to put himself in the foreground,” said an emotional Verstappen shortly after qualifying. “He was always there when you needed him.”

Verstappen recently visited Mateschitz. “I am very happy that I had a very nice day with him. We talked about everything: moments that I will never forget.”

Like many other drivers, Verstappen sees in Mateschitz someone who has given young athletes confidence in important moments. “He meant a lot to Formula 1 and many other sports. And me and my career so far, actually my whole life. What he has given is enormous. I am eternally grateful to him.”

budget cap

There will also be a lot of talk in Formula 1 this weekend about the budget cap affair, which Red Bull Racing exceeded last year. Verstappen doesn’t think about it for a second. “The man who made everything possible for me is dead. This is much more important than this other story.”

Sainz, who clinched his third pole position of his career, was also affected by Mateschitz’s death. Like Verstappen, the Austrian gave him the opportunity to join Toro Rosso’s training team.

“Without him I would not have ended up in Formula 1,” said Sainz. “It’s unbelievable how many people he has supported in car and motorsport.”