Verstappen goes for win in Austria: 'To make Mateschitz proud'

The 2023 Austrian GP will be the first without Red Bull Racing founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The Austrian died in October 2022 and Max Verstappen will try to put in a performance Mateschitz can be proud of at the team's home race.

So says the two-time F1 champion at the FIA press conference in Red Bull's home country. At the Red Bull Ring, provided he does not put a DNF after his name, Verstappen is always supreme. In 2023 with the particularly strong RB19, that seems to be the case again. At the Austrian GP, the team will try to make Mateschitz proud, even if it is an unpredictable and difficult weekend with a sprint race.

Trying to make Mateschitz proud

Verstappen: "Well, I think we've had already a few Grand Prix's without Dietrich of course by our side. You just have to face it, you have to deal with it. We race also to make him proud and just carry on that legacy. So coming here, home Grand Prix, we always enjoy coming here anyway and we want to win."

Whether that is even possible seems beyond doubt, but Verstappen does not want to say that his team will dominate again this weekend after a weaker weekend in Canada. Verstappen: "I don't know honestly. I mean in a sprint weekend so many things can go well or can go wrong. It's always very hectic. So I guess we'll just find out honestly. I don't know, we can speculate about it now, but we'll find out on Sunday."