Gwen Lagrue has confirmed his departure from Mercedes after 11 years as the team's junior driver scout, joining rivals Red Bull as the new leader of their young driver programme. He will start his new role next year after a period of gardening leave, filling the void left by Helmut Marko, who departed after 20 years as an adviser.
Career highlights
During his tenure at Mercedes, Lagrue guided several drivers into Formula 1, including George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who now race for the Silver Arrows, as well as Esteban Ocon (now at Haas) and former AlphaTauri racer Nyck de Vries. He also spotted and mentored current Mercedes juniors, whose futures remain uncertain.
Emotional farewell
In a LinkedIn post, Lagrue described his final Grand Prix in Budapest as closing "an incredible chapter after 11 unforgettable seasons." He thanked Toto Wolff for the opportunity and praised the team's pursuit of excellence, saying: "What makes this team truly special isn't only what it has achieved, but the people who make it what it is every single day."
Lagrue expressed pride in the drivers he worked with, from Ocon and De Vries to Russell and Antonelli, and encouraged them to "continue to dream big, work hard and enjoy every step of the journey." He concluded: "People often remember the championships, the victories and the records. I will personally remember the people."
