The Red Bull Racing team was dealt a hard blow when it was announced on Saturday night that Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz had died at the age of 78. The Formula 1 paddock reacted to the news with sadness.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali wrote the following: "I am deeply saddened by the news that Dietrich Mateschitz, a highly respected and beloved member of the Formula 1 family, has passed away. He was an incredible visionary entrepreneur and a man who helped transform our sport and created the Red Bull brand known around the world. I will miss him dearly, as will the entire Formula 1 community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and the Red Bull and AlphaTauri teams at this sad time."
"Red Bull's co-founder made an unforgettable contribution to F1 and leaves a lasting legacy," reads Formula 1's own statement. Several F1 teams expressed words to the same effect, paying their respects to the Red Bull boss.