The emotion in Max Verstappen's face and voice was clear as he paid tribute to his Red Bull co-owner.
The man who founded one of the most successful F1 teams of the modern era, as well as the inventor of energy drinks, died on Saturday.
Red Bull wanted to make Verstappen the youngest champion in F1 history when they brought him into the sport.
It was paid to that ambition because of the dominance of Mercedes from 2014 to 2020. Verstappen won two world titles despite the fact that he had been ill for a while. His team now embark on what their rivals fear could be a second dominant era in the sport, to follow that they enjoyed with SebastianVettel in the first four years of the 2010s.
Less than an hour before the start of the race, the Red Bull team was called into their headquarters to hear about the death of their teammate.
He was determined to turn his second place on the grid at the Circuit of the Americas because of his success, and his face was dark and his voice broke as he told his story.
Verstappen said it was a difficult entry to qualify. You don't care about the result, either. No, it doesn't matter.
It's more about what happened and what he meant to everyone in the team and the company. Without him I wouldn't be here today and I wouldn't have had the success I have had. Everyone in the team is very sad.
I was able to see him a couple of weeks ago so we could spend some time together.
He was known for the achievements of his company and the teams he supported in several sports, but he never sought the spotlight. He allowed a small group of people to get to know him.
Verstappen saidDietrich was always kind. He didn't want to be in the background. He didn't want to be seen in front of the camera.
He was very nice when you got to know him a bit more. He liked race cars. The commitment he has shown to F1, and have two race teams, is incredible, as well as the amount of young talent he has supported.
It was very special for me to believe in me when I was young and to see that relationship grow over time.
I will remember the last visit I had with him for the rest of my life. It was already very special and it is even more so now.
Red Bull will not be the same without him. He has been one of the most influential figures in the sport for over two decades, and those with whom he dealt paid tribute to him on Saturday.
Wolff, an Austrian who lives in Salzburg, said that the man was bigger than life.
The biggest contribution in F1 of any single individual has been made by him in Austria.
"The man was super-reflective and what started as always a little bit Mercedes-Red Bull discussion, then took hours and ended up in a very personal discussion around families, and I enjoyed that."
The brand is the most important achievement for me. We're talking 32 years because it appeared in the 1990's. I don't know how much the company makes, but creating a new product that only existed in Thailand in a different packaging is putting everything in a shadow that is around sports.
He once said to me, "I have no problem doing a sports project that loses money if I enjoy doing it." He did it for the love of the sport.
For Verstappen and Red Bull, a win on Sunday would be the perfect way to honor Mateschitz's memory, and also put in the background for a few moments the politics and controversy that still surround the team following the announcement that they broke F1's
Even though he is behind Carlos Sainz on the grid, Verstappen starts as a strong favourite because of his record this year.
Sainz, a product of the Red Bull young driver programme, paid tribute to the man and said that he was realistic about his prospects for the race.
Sainz said that they are going to try and win the race but they know what Red Bull can do.
They always put great Sundays together and are favorites for tomorrow. I would love to win but it is going to be very difficult.
The Mercedes drivers start alongside each other on the second row, with Lewis Hamilton ahead of George Russell for the sixth race in a row.
Both Red Bulls were slower than Hamilton after the first runs in final qualification and although the seven-time champion dropped back with a less-effective second lap, Mercedes have looked in good shape after introducing a major aerodynamic upgrade to their floor.
"Austin didn't look great on paper a few weeks ago," Wolff said, "and we brought the upgrade and we are 0.6 seconds off and Lewis could probably have added 0.2 seconds."
It's clear that the favorites are beginning in front of us. It is a good sign. We have two cars so we might have a few more options. Even though Verstappen and Sainz have better odds, we need to race for the victory.
With three races left in the season, Verstappen is on the verge of equaling the all-time record of 13 wins in a season. He didn't think about that.
He said that they have a quick car. If you have a competitive car, there is a bigger chance of reaching it because we are doing more races.
Even though Verstappen doesn't need an extra incentive to go for the win, the loss of Mateschitz gives him one.
He said they would try to make him proud.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
