Tragic Loss Fueled Max Verstappen to Give Red Bull the Elusive Gift: “Was a Very Tough Weekend”

Max Verstappen credits his success in Formula 1 to his dad, Jos Verstappen, who always pushed the Red Bull driver beyond his limits while growing up. The two worked together to reach the heights at which the young Dutchman stands today. But there was one more person who had a key influence on the two-time world champion: Red Bull founder and owner Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in 2022 on the eve of the Austin Grand Prix at the age of 78.

Dietrich Mateschitz’s death had an impact on both Red Bull teams, with condolences pouring in from everyone in the paddock. However, the impact on Max Verstappen was difficult for the driver to deal with. Since Max began racing for Toro Rosso at the age of 17, he credits the late Red Bull founder for giving him the opportunity to compete in Formula 1.

And though he paid his tributes to the Austrian during the weekend in Austin, Max still feels emotional about the incident. When asked by CNN about Dietrich Mateschitz during Red Bull’s season launch in New York City, the Red Bull driver said, “For us, Austin was a very tough weekend, with Dietrich passing away, basically the man who created everything for us … the only thing we could do that weekend was, of course, to try and win that race, which luckily we did.”

“And then we won the Constructors’ [Championship], so there are a lot of emotions going through your mind and in general for the team throughout that whole weekend.”

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Dietrich was credited with not only launching Max Verstappen onto the F1 scene but also launching Carlos Sainz from the current grid. With the success that his teams have had over the years, rest assured that his legacy in Formula One will be difficult to match.

Despite being the top dog at 25, Max Verstappen is uncertain about his F1 future

With two championships under his belt, the Dutchman has already achieved greatness. But what seems to be more impressive is his unapologetic and aggressive driving style, which has earned him a name in the F1 world.

But with his first championship, Max Verstappen claims he has achieved everything and now wants to do something else. He said, “And I mean, I already achieved everything I wanted in Formula One. But I know I have a contract until 2028. I’ll be 31. It’s still pretty young, but like I said, I also want to do different things in life.”

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This could also mean that the driver could take an early exit from the sport, which remains a worry for the team as they seek a long-term driver inside the young 25-year-old. Nevertheless, the driver looks good to go for at least a couple of more seasons, and until then we can surely enjoy his rivalries.