Vettel: Mateschitz's been a great inspiration

The four-time Formula 1 Champion was asked for his thoughts about Mateschitz passing after qualifying in Austin, when the news just broke, but he refrained from commenting as he wasn't ready, still being in shock.

And understandably so, given the German's history with Red Bull and their late founder and the successes they have achieved together, starting from his first pole and race win in Monza 2008 with Toro Rosso, then the four consecutive Title doubles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013.

In Mexico, Vettel debuted a special helmet design that returning to his earlier designs when he was still driving in the Red Bull camp with the phrase " Danke Didi" featuring on it.

Speaking in the press conference, Vettel opened up on Mateschitz's impact on F1; he said: "I think it was six of us on Sunday on the grid who shared obviously a story with Red Bull or are still sharing a story with Red Bull, as a brand, as a team, with the Junior Team and there's probably more Formula 1 drivers, thinking of others as well.

"I think the impact that Red Bull had on the grid in the last 15 years has been outstanding and probably unprecedented," he added. "I think Dietrich, to me, we had a very good relationship and what I really appreciate today is that it was always eye level, even though he was far more experienced and knowledgeable than I was, especially early on.

"It's been a real shock, last week, to hear the news and a massive, massive loss," the Aston Martin driver revealed. "To me he's been a great inspiration because he's always been himself.

"So many things happened and evolved in his life and got so big around him but it is really his creative mind probably shaped that path and shaped that path until the very end.

"So it will be a huge loss for the Red Bull family, not just for racing, all of us in Formula 1, with the impact of two teams on the grid and the drivers like I said, but I think, speaking for so many other sports where the brand, Red Bull, had such a huge impact and helped kids, girls, boys, men, women along the way and helped them to chase their dreams.

"It's all down to Dietrich and the idea that he had in his head, what he wanted to do with this brand and that's what he created. It is a very, very big loss and everybody who had the privilege to get to know him and be with him again, echoing a lot of what Daniel said, extremely humble, kind and just a good and big heart," Vettel concluded.

And as Vettel referred to what Daniel Ricciardo said about Mateschitz, this is what the Australian had to say, who has also come up the racing ranks within the Red Bull organization.

Ricciardo said: "I think there was so much about Dietrich, in terms of the way he carried himself I think also how he was always happy to be out of the limelight, I think, you know, what he did for so many Red Bull athletes was phenomenal, but he never really looked for too much praise, it was just it was just something that he was able to do, I feel like from the goodness of his heart and gave so many of us an opportunity to really achieve our dreams like that was it.

"I thought about it a lot and there's honestly like really two groups of people in my life that have put me in this position, you know, it's my parents and it's Dietrich and Red Bull, you know," Ricciardo claimed.

"They provided this opportunity for me to really chase this career, chase his dream, so from that, like, forever grateful but I think him as a human as an individual I think just yeah, humble, warm.

"It's not often I think someone with such success maintains let's say such behaviour, such... how do I say? Just like an extremely good role model, I think, for someone who had done so much with their life and had that career. And yeah, admirable," the Honey Badger concluded.