Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has dedicated the team's 2022 successes to founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away in October. After a dramatic year-long battle with Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton that went down to the last lap of 2021's final race in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ultimately prevailed to become that season's World Champion. The Dutchman then defended his title in altogether more dominant fashion in 2022, with Red Bull also taking their first Constructors' Championship title since 2013. But despite having scooped both titles for the first time in nine years, Horner noted that Red Bull were not without their difficulties in 2022, and paid tribute to Mateschitz's legacy in F1. In addition to forming Red Bull Racing in 2005, Mateschitz also purchased the Minardi team a year later to form Scuderia Toro Rosso - now known as AlphaTauri. To this day, the Italy-based outfit serves as a de facto B-team where promising Red Bull-backed youngsters are placed before potentially graduating to the senior team. Of the 22 drivers who raced in 2022, nine have driven for Red Bull-backed teams at some point during their F1 careers.
Horner hails Mateschitz's F1 vision
"I thought last year took every ounce of energy out of every member of the team," Horner told Sky F1 . "That was something that I don't think any of us have ever experienced before, and then this year, there's been highs and lows and we've had issues to deal with. "One of the biggest things we've had to deal with is the loss of our founder, Dietrich Mateschitz. "For him, Formula 1 was his passion, it was his love. "He gave so many drivers a chance, he gave us all a chance, and so to have won this championship, we have to dedicate that very much to him and everything that we've done this year."
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