Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is praising the appointment of Gwen Lagrue at Red Bull. According to the Italian, the team has brought in exactly the right person with the former Mercedes talent scout to continue the successful development structure that was built up over many years under Helmut Marko. Lagrue held a similar role at Mercedes and was co-responsible for the development of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
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After Marko’s departure as motorsport advisor at the end of 2025, there was much speculation about the future of the Red Bull Junior Program. The development school is considered one of the most successful in the sport but lost its key figure with Marko. Red Bull has now provided clarity by signing Lagrue. The Frenchman, who was active at Mercedes for over ten years and will start working in Milton Keynes from 2027, is regarded as one of the most renowned talent developers in Formula 1.
At Mercedes, Lagrue played an important role in the development of, among others, George Russell and the current world championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Steiner therefore thinks Red Bull made an excellent move by luring him away from the German team. “I was quite surprised that he (Lagrue, ed.) left Mercedes,” he responded in the podcast The Red Flags. “They must have made him a very good offer because he has a good relationship with the people there.”
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Hiring Gwen Lagrue a good move by Laurent Mekies
The former Haas team principal did not hide his admiration for Lagrue. “I think he is very good at spotting talent and knows what is going on in all racing classes. Gwen has been doing this longer than anyone else. That is why he has that advantage and knows what he is looking for. So absolutely: it was a very good move by Laurent (Mekies, ed.) to bring him in for the future.”
The Red Bull Junior Program has produced many successful Formula 1 drivers in recent years, including Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar, and Arvid Lindblad. With the arrival of Lagrue, Red Bull hopes to continue that successful streak in the coming years. Moreover, there is already a lot of new talent racing in the development classes. For example, 19-year-old Nikola Tsolov is currently leading in Formula 2.
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