Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz insists he is “not disappointed” to be losing world champion Sebastian Vettel.
A week ago at Suzuka, the German – who was nurtured from boyhood to F1 stardom by the energy drink company – announced to Red Bull and the world that he is leaving the team. It is expected he will switch to Ferrari for 2015.
But billionaire Mateschitz insisted to the German news agency DPA that, at the moment, Vettel and Red Bull Racing are not compatible. “Given Red Bull’s handicap with the current (Renault) power unit and Mercedes’ dominance,” he said, “you don’t need a four-time world champion who at best can be ‘best of the rest’.”
And according to Mateschitz, the promise shown by Vettel’s successor, 20-year-old Daniil Kvyat, is another reason Red Bull is happily letting its champion go. “We considered it neither just nor necessary to intervene,” he said, “particularly since this switch brings huge financial savings. “I also believe that the forthcoming switches will contribute a lot to the excitement of the next formula one season,” Mateschitz added.
