Red Bull moves for Mercedes junior chief Lagrue
"We are in discussion with Gwen about the future"
Red Bull is reportedly trying to poach the man behind Mercedes’ highly successful young driver program as it rebuilds the structure once dominated by the now-retired Dr Helmut Marko.
According to De Telegraaf and other reports, Gwen Lagrue is in talks to leave Mercedes and take charge of Red Bull’s famous junior program.
Lagrue remains under contract, however, with Mercedes and the Frenchman reportedly discussing the terms of his potential departure.
Asked initially about the reports, a Mercedes spokesperson said the team "never comments on stories or rumours".
But Toto Wolff was questioned directly after the Belgian GP about the man who helped identify and develop championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
When asked about the breaking reports, Wolff smiled: "Really?"
He then confirmed discussions are taking place.
"Yes, we are in discussion with Gwen about the future, but nothing has been decided yet and we have not yet concluded an agreement," the Mercedes boss said.
"Gwen has built a great team."
Lagrue has spent around a decade leading Mercedes’ junior operation, with Antonelli and George Russell among the program’s most prominent graduates.
However, Wolff insists the structure is much larger than one individual.
"We have seven, eight or nine people who make up the junior program, with a handful of junior drivers."
He said Mercedes is also reshaping responsibilities following Bradley Lord’s promotion to deputy team principal.
"Now that Bradley is taking a step up as deputy team principal, we need to solve this kind of thing. We want to do that together with Gwen."
Lagrue is expected to be able to join Red Bull in 2027 if an agreement is reached between the rival teams.
His arrival would be significant for Red Bull following Marko’s departure, with the Austrian having overseen one of Formula 1’s most productive driver academies.
Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Isack Hadjar and many others all emerged through Red Bull’s development system.
Hadjar told RTBF at Spa: "If I hadn’t had Red Bull, I would never have been in F1.
"That’s the sad reality."
Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman agreed that manufacturer support has become increasingly essential. "It’s very difficult otherwise," the Haas driver said.
"Unfortunately, we’re in an era where the sport is very expensive, and without the support of a manufacturer, it’s increasingly difficult to reach the top tier."