Outgoing driver development advisor at Mercedes, Gwen Lagrue, has shared his departing message after a decade at the team.
Lagrue was responsible for overseeing the junior programme at the Brackley-based squad, working closely with many figures including Kimi Antonelli and George Russell during their rise to F1.
RacingNews365 confirmed almost three weeks ago that Lagrue would be leaving the team to join Red Bull.
The news was made official by Mercedes last week, before Lagrue was named the director of the Red Bull Junior Programme - a position he will start in 2027.
Red Bull's junior team is one of the most famous in all of motorsport and up until the end of 2025, it was managed by Helmut Marko.
But prior to the start of his new job, Lagrue took time to send a detailed farewell message on social media.
“Every dream needs a team,” he began.
“A few years ago, those five words became a part of the Mercedes story. Today, they mean something even more personal.
“Budapest was my final Grand Prix with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, bringing to a close an incredible chapter after 11 unforgettable seasons.
“When Toto gave me the opportunity to join the team, I couldn’t have imagined the journey that lay ahead. Together, we built, evolved and challenged ourselves every single day, always driven by the same ambition to help talented young drivers reach their full potential.
“Looking back, what fills me with the greatest pride isn’t just what we achieved, it’s all the drivers I had the privilege to work with.
“From Esteban Ocon and Nyck De Vries, to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. From Fred Vesti and Doriane Pin to every junior driver who are part, or has been part of, the Mercedes-AMG F1 Junior Programme over the years.
“Watching young talent grow into world-class professionals has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. I hope each of you continues to dream big, work hard and enjoy every step of the journey. You are surrounded by an extraordinary team that will always push you to become the very best version of yourselves.
“To Toto, thank you for your trust and friendship.
“To everyone at Mercedes, thank you for your passion, your commitment and your relentless pursuit of excellence. 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.
“People often remember the championships, the victories and the records. I will personally remember the people.
“Thank you for believing in me and for allowing me to play a small part in this extraordinary story. Thank you for enabling me to make dreams come true.
“I wish you all only the very best.”
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Nick Golding and Samuel Coop as they reflect on the first half of the 2026 F1 season, answering who they believe has been the best, most disappointing, surprised us and requires a huge end to the year.
Rather watch this episode? Then click here!
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!