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Red Bull owner and Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz has died at the age of 78, less than two weeks after Max Verstappen’s 2022 world title victory. Mateschitz was taken seriously ill in recent weeks although, when pressed on the matter, Red Bull chief Helmut Marko remained intent on making sure that the details remained private.
A statement from Red Bull publication Speedweek read: “Austria has lost its most successful and innovative entrepreneur who turned the energy drink Red Bull into a global brand. Dietrich Mateschitz died today at the age of 78 after a long, serious illness. For almost 30 years, the Red Bull boss from Styria and his drinks company have supported every conceivable car racing series from Formula 1 to the World Rally Championship, NASCAR and DTM Superbike and Motocross World Championships as well as the Dakar Rally and as a reliable partner for the KTM factory teams.
“Because of his poor health, Dietrich Mateschitz has hardly appeared in public for a year and a half. He was no longer seen at the RB Leipzig derbies against Bayern Munich and did not appear at the Formula 1 and MotoGP world championship rounds in Spielberg in 2021 and 2022. The 78-year-old conserved his strength and trusted the doctors’ art to fight his terminal illness.
“Our sympathy goes to the closest relatives, Marc, Marion and Anita, and the many friends in these difficult hours. We are deeply affected and stunned.”
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