<p>Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, a giant in the world of energy drinks and founder of the Formula One team and a sports empire, died on Saturday aged 78, the company said.</p>.<p>Red Bull expressed both its "sadness" at the Austrian billionaire's death and "gratitude for what he accomplished".</p>.<p>Mateschitz was named as Austria's richest person by Forbes in 2022 with an estimated net worth of 27.4 billion euros ($27 billion).</p>.<p>Besides its involvement in Formula One -- the team's Dutch driver Max Verstappen is the world champion for the second consecutive year -- Red Bull bought the football club of the Austrian city of Salzburg in 2005, then Leipzig in Germany.</p>.<p>The head of the Red Bull Formula One team, Christian Horner, described Mateschitz as a passionate supporter and the "backbone of all we do" in his tribute.</p>.<p>"It is very, very sad," said Horner, speaking at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. "A great man, one of few of a kind, for what he achieved and he has done for many people around the world and across so many sports."</p>.<p>Horner told <em>Sky Sports F1</em> that Mateschitz "proved you can make a difference. He was a passionate supporter and the backbone of all we do. A remarkable man and inspirational individual."</p>.<p>Mateschitz's legacy, the Red Bull energy drink, was born during one of his many business trips as marketing director of a German cosmetics company when he was served a sweet beverage common in Asia in a luxury bar in Hong Kong.</p>.<p>He was immediately fond of it and was impressed by the drink's apparent ability to help him overcome his jet lag.</p>.<p>He decided to partner up with the beverage's developer Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya and the two men founded Red Bull in 1984.</p>.<p>Based in Fuschl-am-See, the brand slowly but surely won over Western taste buds and the brand developed globally thanks to clever marketing and the tie-ins with sport.</p>
<p>Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, a giant in the world of energy drinks and founder of the Formula One team and a sports empire, died on Saturday aged 78, the company said.</p>.<p>Red Bull expressed both its "sadness" at the Austrian billionaire's death and "gratitude for what he accomplished".</p>.<p>Mateschitz was named as Austria's richest person by Forbes in 2022 with an estimated net worth of 27.4 billion euros ($27 billion).</p>.<p>Besides its involvement in Formula One -- the team's Dutch driver Max Verstappen is the world champion for the second consecutive year -- Red Bull bought the football club of the Austrian city of Salzburg in 2005, then Leipzig in Germany.</p>.<p>The head of the Red Bull Formula One team, Christian Horner, described Mateschitz as a passionate supporter and the "backbone of all we do" in his tribute.</p>.<p>"It is very, very sad," said Horner, speaking at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. "A great man, one of few of a kind, for what he achieved and he has done for many people around the world and across so many sports."</p>.<p>Horner told <em>Sky Sports F1</em> that Mateschitz "proved you can make a difference. He was a passionate supporter and the backbone of all we do. A remarkable man and inspirational individual."</p>.<p>Mateschitz's legacy, the Red Bull energy drink, was born during one of his many business trips as marketing director of a German cosmetics company when he was served a sweet beverage common in Asia in a luxury bar in Hong Kong.</p>.<p>He was immediately fond of it and was impressed by the drink's apparent ability to help him overcome his jet lag.</p>.<p>He decided to partner up with the beverage's developer Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya and the two men founded Red Bull in 1984.</p>.<p>Based in Fuschl-am-See, the brand slowly but surely won over Western taste buds and the brand developed globally thanks to clever marketing and the tie-ins with sport.</p>