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Tost commemorates Mateschitz: 'There's only one person like that'

Tost commemorates Mateschitz: 'There's only one person like that'

06-11-2022 19:06 Last update: 23:31
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GPblog.com

Franz Tost looks back on the death of Dietrich Mateschitz with melancholy. At formel1.de the AlphaTauri team boss talks about his experiences with Mateschitz and how essential he was in shaping the Formula 1 team.

The death of Dietrich Mateschitz was a shock to many in Formula 1. As boss of the Red Bull company, Mateschitz was essential in the creation of the brand and the role it would play in extreme sports. He died the same weekend that Red Bull Racing won its first constructors' title in eight years. As head of the company, Mateschitz was also very involved in Red Bull's Formula 1 branch. Not only at Red Bull Racing, but also at sister team AlphaTauri.

Tost was given the task of implementing Mateschitz's vision.

Tost has been team boss of AlphaTauri since 2005, when the team was still called Toro Rosso. During that time, he has trained and prepared great talents for a seat at Red Bull. As many as seven drivers currently on the grid have driven for Tost at AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso. That was exactly what Mateschitz had in mind, according to Tost. "I remember him saying to me, Franz, you have to train the young drivers from the Red Bull driver pool and then they have to win races later."

"Looking back, everything he said worked. He was a visionary, but his visions were translated into successful operations and that is the difference with other people. For me, Dietrich Mateschitz was someone who only lives once in the world. There will be no second time, because he was extraordinary and very, very special."