Red Bull confirm Helmut Marko replacement

Red Bull has formally announced the appointment of Gwen Lagrue as director of the Red Bull Junior Programme, filling the vacancy left by Helmut Marko's departure at the end of 2025.

Lagrue, who spent eleven years heading Mercedes' junior driver operation, will report directly to team principal Laurent Mekies and join the leadership team in 2027.

The Frenchman is widely regarded as one of Formula 1's foremost talent developers, having overseen the progression of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli through the Mercedes ranks.

His arrival represents one of the most significant hires of the Mekies era at Red Bull, and a clear statement of intent about the programme that produced Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo and a host of other F1 graduates over the past two decades.

Mekies paid tribute to Marko's legacy while outlining the ambition behind the appointment.

"Gwen is one of the very best talent developers in F1, and I know first-hand the expertise, leadership and passion he brings to developing young drivers," Mekies said.

"The Red Bull Junior Programme has always been a cornerstone of Red Bull's success, and having Gwen lead it soon reflects the importance we continue to place on developing the next generation of F1 talent.

"We want to recognise another time today the extraordinary contribution Helmut Marko has made over more than two decades creating and leading the Junior Programme.

"The Junior Programme has become the benchmark in F1 because of his vision, commitment and ability to identify and develop exceptional talents, and he deserves enormous credit for that.

"As we continue to build the next chapter of Oracle Red Bull Racing, attracting leaders of Gwen's calibre is fundamental to achieving our ambitions."

Mekies and Lagrue know each other well, with that pre-existing relationship playing a key role in Red Bull's ability to lure the talent scout away from Mercedes.

And Lagrue, for his part, acknowledged the weight of the role he is inheriting.

"Joining Red Bull marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for me. After eleven memorable years at Mercedes, I felt this was the right moment to take on a new challenge and continue growing personally and professionally," he said.

"The Red Bull Junior Programme is one of the most respected and successful driver development programmes in motorsport. It has produced some of the greatest talents F1 has ever seen, and it is a real honour to have the opportunity to lead such a talented group of people and help shape its next chapter.

"I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent as well as the entire team, and I am very thankful for this opportunity.

"Together, we have a fantastic framework to build on the programme's remarkable legacy, continue to evolve it for the future, and identify, develop and prepare the next generation of F1 race winners and world champions, following a pattern Red Bull has successfully repeated over the past 20 years."