Red Bull poach key George Russell and Kimi Antonelli ally from Mercedes as move confirmed

Red Bull have confirmed the appointment of Gwen Lagrue as their new junior driver programme director. The Frenchman, who has been a long-serving stalwart of the Mercedes setup and played a key role in developing George Russell and his team-mate Kimi Antonelli over the years, has taken on a new role.

Mercedes confirmed his exit in a social media post on Monday. It read: "Thank you Gwen. It's been a great ride. Together, we've developed many young drivers, including our current F1 drivers George and Kimi, and you've made a fantastic contribution. We have built a true successor to the original Mercedes-Benz junior team, and you leave in place a talented group to carry on this work. Professional relationships may come to an end, but we will always remain friends, with a shared mindset. We wish you well for your next challenge."

It was reported over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend that Lagrue would be heading to Red Bull. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said prior to the Budapes weekend that he was "in discussions with Gwen about the future", but added: "Nothing has been agreed or decided yet."

But the final details have now clearly been ironed out as, not long after Mercedes' social media post, Red Bull confirmed their new signing will begin work in 2027. Lagrue is essentially the successor to Helmut Marko who was in charge of their young drivers for 20 years until his departure at the end of last season.

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