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Key Mercedes figure sends farewell message ahead of Red Bull switch
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A high-profile team member at Mercedes had his last grand prix with the team in Hungary two weeks ago.
Outgoing driver development advisor at Mercedes, Gwen Lagrue, has shared his departing message after a decade at the team.
Lagrue was responsible for overseeing the junior programme at the Brackley-based squad, working closely with many figures including Kimi Antonelli and George Russell during their rise to F1.
RacingNews365 confirmed almost three weeks ago that Lagrue would be leaving the team to join Red Bull.
The news was made official by Mercedes last week, before Lagrue was named the director of the Red Bull Junior Programme – a position he will start in 2027.
Red Bull's latest signing could reveal much more about Max Verstappen's future claims Herbert
Johnny Herbert believes Red Bull’s Mercedes raid could be laying the groundwork for a future without Max Verstappen – Red Bull’s decision to recruit long-serving Mercedes talent chief Gwen Lagrue has prompted fresh debate over Max Verstappen’s long-term future, with former Formula 1 driver and FIA steward Johnny Herbert suggesting the appointment could serve two purposes.
While Herbert believes the move demonstrates Red Bull’s determination to rebuild around its star driver, he also argues it may represent contingency planning should Verstappen eventually leave the team.
Lagrue, who spent many years overseeing Mercedes’ junior driver programme, will take charge of the Red Bull Junior Team from the 2027 season. His arrival comes during a period of significant change at Red Bull, following the departures of several high-profile figures and amid ongoing speculation linking Verstappen with a future move to Mercedes.
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F1 stars hail Red Bull's new Helmut Marko after surprise Mercedes exit
F1 stars including world championship leader Kimi Antonelli have paid tribute to Red Bull's new Helmut Marko as the highly-rated Gwen Lagrue officially says goodbye to Mercedes.
The 83-year-old Marko was a key part of Red Bull's glory years, acting as ace talent scout and driver whisperer while Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen each claimed four world championship titles.
But at the end of 2025, Marko left his role, just adding to a major talent drain which had already seen the likes of Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall and Jonathan Wheatley depart.
One of the team's major challenges is restocking that talent pool, in part to persuade the aforementioned Verstappen to extend his stay with the team. If you didn't know (highly unlikely), his exit clause is now active and he could join a new team in 2027.
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