(Motorsport-Total.com) – As Motorsport-Total.com already reported in recent days, the change is now official: Red Bull has appointed Gwen Lagrue as the new head of the Red Bull Junior Program. The Frenchman is moving to the Milton Keynes team after eleven years at Mercedes and will take over responsibility for youth development there.
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Mercedes confirmed the departure of its long-time youth development head on Monday via social media: “Thank you, Gwen. It was a great journey together,” the team wrote. “Together we have developed many young drivers, including our current Formula 1 drivers George and Kimi, and you have made a fantastic contribution.”
Mercedes continues to praise and wishes Lagrue much success: “We have built a worthy successor to the original Mercedes-Benz Junior Program, and you leave behind a talented team that will continue this work. Career paths may diverge, but we will always remain friends with the same mindset. We wish you all the best for your next challenge.”
Mekies honors Lagrue and Marko
Soon after, Red Bull also made the appointment official. Lagrue takes over the position of director of the Red Bull Junior Program. He will report directly to team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies and fills the gap left after Helmut Marko’s departure at the end of last year.
The era of Helmut Marko at Red Bull
“Gwen is one of the best talent developers in Formula 1, and I know firsthand the expertise, leadership, and passion he brings to nurturing young drivers,” says Mekies. “The Red Bull Junior Program has always been a cornerstone of our success. That Gwen is now taking over leadership underscores the importance we continue to place on developing the next generation of Formula 1 talent.”
At the same time, Mekies once again acknowledges Marko’s contributions: “Today, we want to once again recognize the extraordinary contribution Helmut Marko has made over more than two decades in building and leading the Junior Program. Thanks to his vision, commitment, and ability to identify and nurture exceptional talent, the Junior Program has become a benchmark in Formula 1. He deserves great respect for that.”
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Lagrue looks forward to new challenge
Lagrue himself is looking forward to his new role: “The move to Oracle Red Bull Racing marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for me. After eleven unforgettable years at Mercedes, I felt that now was the right time to take on a new challenge and to develop personally and professionally.”
“The Red Bull Junior Program is one of the most respected and successful driver development programs in motorsport. It has produced some of the greatest talents Formula 1 has ever seen. It is a great honor for me to lead such a talented team and to help shape the next chapter of this success story,” Lagrue continued.
During his time at Mercedes, the Frenchman played a crucial role in nurturing several future Formula 1 drivers. Through the youth program, among others, Esteban Ocon and George Russell made the leap to the top class.
Successful youth work at Mercedes
Most recently, Kimi Antonelli was considered his best-known protégé. Lagrue discovered the Italian at the age of eleven in karting and accompanied his rapid rise through the junior categories to Formula 1. Antonelli debuted there at 18 and is already among the title contenders in his second season.
With the now officially confirmed appointment, Red Bull is consistently continuing the restructuring of its youth development structure announced after Helmut Marko’s departure.
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