Gwen Lagrue, a key figure in Mercedes' young driver programme, is leaving the team to join Red Bull as their new director of the junior programme.
Lagrue's move comes after an 11-year stint at Mercedes, where he was instrumental in developing talents like George Russell and the current F1 champion Kimi Antonelli. Lagrue's appointment at Red Bull is seen as a replacement for Helmut Marko, who retired from his long-time role as Red Bull's motorsport adviser last year.
The Red Bull Junior Programme has a rich history of producing top F1 talents, including four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and eight-time winner Daniel Ricciardo. Current Williams drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz also came through the programme.
Lagrue's departure from Mercedes is part of a minor reshuffle of the team's young driver programme. Bradley Lord, who was already involved, was recently promoted to deputy team principal. Mercedes have a team of up to 10 people analysing the junior categories, right down to the very junior levels of karting to find promising new talent.
Red Bull's decision to recruit Lagrue reflects the importance they place on developing the next generation of F1 talent. Team principal Laurent Mekies said Lagrue is "one of the very best talent developers in F1" and praised his "expertise, leadership and passion" in developing young drivers.
Lagrue will join Red Bull in 2027, where he will lead the junior programme. He said in a statement: "The Red Bull Junior Programme is one of the most respected and successful driver development programmes in motorsport. It has produced some of the greatest talents F1 has ever seen, and it is a real honour to have the opportunity to lead such a talented group of people and help shape its next chapter."
The Mercedes team has already started to build on the legacy of Lagrue's work. They have a team of up to 10 people analysing the junior categories, right down to the very junior levels of karting to find promising new talent.
Red Bull's move to recruit Lagrue is seen as a significant development in the world of F1. The team's ability to attract top talent like Lagrue will be crucial in their bid to compete with Mercedes and Ferrari in the coming seasons.
The impact of Lagrue's departure from Mercedes will be closely watched in the coming months. The team will have to rely on their existing young driver programme to continue developing talents like Kimi Antonelli. Meanwhile, Red Bull will be looking to Lagrue to help shape the future of their junior programme and identify the next generation of F1 stars.
Source: BBC Sports
