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The man behind Red Bull’s iconic Stratos space jump, Felix Baumgartner, passed away on Thursday, June 17. This news has come as a shock to many, particularly those closely associated with him. The famous skydiver was one of the Fuschl-based company's earliest icons in extreme sports.
Felix Baumgartner has died in a paragliding crash in Italy, at the age of just 56. It is being reported that the Austrian may have suffered a medical emergency mid-air, resulting in an accident. But who was Baumgartner, and how was he related to the Red Bull sporting empire?
Who was Felix Baumgartner?
Felix Baumgartner was a skydiver, daredevil, and BASE jumper. He was born on April 20, 1969, in Salzburg, Austria. His father was an officer in the Austrian military. At the time of his passing, he was in a long‑term relationship with Romanian TV presenter Mihaela Radulescu.
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But Baumgartner was best known for his record-breaking Red Bull Stratos jump in 2012. He set the world record for the highest ever skydive at the time, jumping from a balloon at over 24 miles above Earth. He also became the first person ever to break the sound barrier in free fall, reaching Mach 1.25 (over 843 miles per hour).
The 56-year-old was a Red Bull athlete, often appearing in promotional shoots and even in the F1 paddock. He was spotted at the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix, rooting for the home team.
Baumgartner's association with the energy drink brand began long before Stratos. In the 1990s and 2000s, he completed several high-profile BASE jumps, including from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Felix Baumgartner once jumped in an F1 car with Red Bull stars Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard
In 2013, Felix Baumgartner jumped into a three-seater Red Bull F1 car at Le Castellet, France, driven by David Coulthard. Former world champion Sebastian Vettel also accompanied the daredevil for a trip around the home of the French Grand Prix.
"Yeah, David Coulthard is gonna take me on a spin, and I've been dreaming about this since I was a little kid," Baumgartner said before the lap.
After this, Baumgartner also explored professional motorsport, competing in the VW Scirocco Cup at Hockenheim in October 2013. In 2014, he took part in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, driving an Audi R8 LMS for Audi Motorsport.
The skydiver, alongside Frank Biela, Pierre Kaffer, and Marco Werner, helped the team finish 9th.
After his death, former Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Christian Horner paid tribute to Baumgartner via his Instagram story. The legendary athlete has left behind an incredible legacy and will remain an iconic part of the Austrian company's athlete roster forever.
