F1 News: Mark Mateschitz says team 'must' keep Max Verstappen

(GMM) Max Verstappen has managed to reinforce the backing of a highly influential and powerful figure at the very top of Red Bull named Mateschitz.

Following the late 2022 death of Red Bull co-founder and figurehead Dietrich Mateschitz, the 49 percent Austrian ownership of the energy drink company now rests in the hands of his son, Mark.

Mateschitz junior, 33, was present at Imola for Red Bull Racing’s 400th grand prix – which quadruple world champion Verstappen won from pole in style and against the odds after a breakthrough car update.

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing and Mark Mateschitz on the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari on May 18, 2025 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool //

“Max drove brilliantly and kept his head cool,” he told De Telegraaf newspaper. “My father would have been proud.”

Publicly impressing Mateschitz could be decisive for Verstappen’s future, as he is fielding huge-money offers from rival teams as performance exit clauses loom for the summer break period.

Given the fact that Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda have demonstrated recently that they cannot come close to Verstappen’s pace, Mateschitz admits it is crucial Red Bull is able to hang onto the Dutchman.

“We’ve known for a long time that we have to keep him,” he told Bild newspaper. “Max is essential to the Red Bull concept.”

However, although his influence at the Red Bull company is immense and his bank balance is booming, Mateschitz insisted he does not intervene in the running of the F1 team.

“I help with friendly advice,” he laughed.