Why soon-to-depart Newey isn't Red Bull's only senior figure to miss

It’s late 2004 and I’m sitting across the aisle from Dietrich Mateschitz in the cabin of his Falcon jet as we wing our way to Madrid for a meeting with Repsol. Long-time Austrian Formula 1 journalist Gerhard Kuntschik sits opposite the man who has built Red Bull into a global phenomenon.

Gerhard is interviewing Mateschitz for the Salzburger Nachrichten. Salzburg lies 25km from Red Bull’s HQ in Fuschl am See, while its airport is home to the recently opened Red Bull Hangar 7, one of Mateschitz’s extraordinary creations.

At the rear of the cabin sits a grumpy-looking Dany Bahar, one of the executives Mateschitz has charged with developing the company’s F1 programme following its takeover of Jaguar Racing. Christian Horner is two months away from being made team principal, Adrian Newey isn’t even a twinkle in Red Bull’s eye. 

He, like many, is probably wondering what an energy drinks company will make of owning an F1 team. The conversation turns to other teams and Jordan Grand Prix is mentioned. My former team is clearly in decline. I confirm that, while Eddie Jordan had been great to work for, running an independent team when up against manufacturer-backed rivals was a sometimes-thankless task.

“Jordan’s done very well, if we achieve even part of what he has done I’ll be happy,” corrects Mateschitz. “Winning grands prix is the objective, and he’s done that with a small team.”

I thought about this conversation when I read the news that Newey was leaving Red Bull Racing. If few anticipated the departure of F1’s greatest technical director, no one saw Eddie Jordan diving back into the Piranha Club as Newey’s manager.

The late CEO and founder of Red Bull, Mateschitz had a keen respect for the man who helped secure Newey's exit from his team

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Eighteen months after Mateschitz lost his life to pancreatic cancer, it’s a strange twist of fate that the former team owner whom he respected has helped to extract Newey from Red Bull’s grasp. There has been much comment about it, of course; one delightful follower of mine on X wondered what F1’s ‘class clown’ could possibly bring to Newey’s negotiations.

Time to remind the legions of newly arrived fans that EJ not only founded and ran an F1 team that survived, thrived, won grands prix, challenged the best and made him a very wealthy man in the process, but that it continues to this day as Aston Martin. He has had the last laugh and is enjoying being in the midst of this year’s biggest story.

You have to wonder what Mateschitz would have made of it all. I strongly suspect that any turmoil at Red Bull Racing would have been quickly nipped in the bud.

Not for Mateschitz the narcissism of a Richard Branson or Elon Musk who conflate their personality with the brands they own and run

PLUS: How Red Bull's dynamic leader shaped its F1 philosophy

Kuntschik’s mid-air interview with the Red Bull boss was something of a departure, for the media spotlight was one thing Mateschitz tended to avoid. I once asked him about this, given that F1 is nothing if not a media circus, but his response was clear.

“I don’t stand in front of my brand,” he said. “Red Bull comes first, that’s the only thing I want the media to talk about. I don’t like normal advertising, it’s a waste. I prefer to create events that generate positive media coverage and make people want to try Red Bull.”

Not for Mateschitz the narcissism of a Richard Branson or Elon Musk who conflate their personality with the brands they own and run. The Austrian held strong beliefs about his company, its values, and the fact that Red Bull is bigger than any individual. He included himself in that.