Christian Horner dedicates F1 title to Red Bull's late founder Dietrich Mateschitz

Mateschitz sadly passed away on 22 October, the news announced shortly before qualifying for the United States Grand Prix got underway.

The Austrian multi-billionaire held a long-standing and successful connection to Formula 1, having began his journey with Sauber before going on to own two teams on the grid, Red Bull and AlphaTauri.

Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz are but a few examples of drivers who burst onto the Formula 1 scene under the Red Bull banner.

Red Bull's team principal Horner was in attendance at the FIA's Prize Giving Gala in Bologna to collect their 2022 Constructors' title, the fifth time that the team has achieved this honour, and he used that stage to pay tribute and dedicate the trophy to Mateschitz.

Horner also said he was thankful that Mateschitz got to see Verstappen crown himself a two-time World Champion as he wrapped up the title in Japan, Verstappen setting a new record with 15 victories across the season.

"It's been the most incredible year for the team," said Horner. "I mean nine years that there's been one manufacturer [Mercedes] on this trophy so the team has done a truly outstanding job.

"Max Verstappen has been magnificent this year and we've broken every record of our own, 17 victories, five one-two finishes, 15 victories of which Max won and the spirit in which the team has done it has been phenomenal.

"But what I would like to say tonight is that I've watched a lot of videos and I think on all of those videos across all of these different championships, we've seen the Red Bull logo on so many cars in so many championships and I'd like to dedicate this championship, this trophy to a very special man that has done so much for motorsports and then so much for Formula 1.

"He was a fan of motorsport foremost and utmost, he gave so many drivers in the room tonight an opportunity in so many categories, he gave thousands of engineers and technicians and mechanics [opportunities] and I think arguably, has done more for motorsport than any other person in history. And so tonight I'd like to dedicate this to Dietrich Mateschitz.

"Thankfully he saw Max win the championship in Japan even though there was a bit of confusion over the points there. But thankfully, Max won it early, and he saw it. And then the next weekend the day after he passed we managed to win this trophy. So it's a very special one."