Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz has died at the age of 78.

This was initially reported by the motorsport specialist magazine late on Saturday evening.

Speedweek, a publication of the Red Bull group.

The Austrian had succumbed to "a long, serious illness".

As part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in the USA, Red Bull's motorsport director Helmut Marko also confirmed the death of his long-time companion.

"We knew that he was in a difficult state of health," said Marko on Sky: "Now that it has happened, it is still incredible that such a great personality had to resign."

Mateschitz was "unique", "but he was a modest person".

Recently there had already been reports that Mateschitz had cancer.

The billionaire from Austria had invested a large part of his fortune in sport, especially in Formula 1 and several football teams such as DFB Cup winners RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg.