Red Bull has announced that Gwen Lagrue will take over as Director of the Red Bull Junior Programme starting from the 2027 Formula 1® season. This appointment marks a significant leadership change as Lagrue will succeed Helmut Marko, who stepped down at the end of 2025 after more than two decades in charge of the programme.
Lagrue brings over ten years of experience from Mercedes, where she played a key role in talent identification and development. Among her notable achievements at Mercedes was discovering Kimi Antonelli, a promising young driver. Her move to Red Bull Racing highlights the team’s continued commitment to nurturing future Formula 1® talent through their well-established junior programme.
The Red Bull Junior Programme has a strong track record of producing successful Formula 1® drivers, including Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Arvid Lindblad, and Nikola Tsolov. Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal, praised Lagrue’s expertise in talent development and underlined the importance of the junior programme to the team’s ongoing success.
Gwen Lagrue expressed her honour and enthusiasm about leading one of the most respected driver development programmes in motorsport. Her appointment signals a new chapter for Red Bull’s junior system, which remains a key pillar in the team’s strategy to identify and support emerging drivers on their path to Formula 1®.
While Helmut Marko’s departure ended a long era, Red Bull’s focus on developing young talent continues unchanged. The programme’s alumni list reflects its success in preparing drivers for the highest level of racing, and Lagrue’s experience at Mercedes adds a fresh perspective to this ongoing effort.
As the 2027 season approaches, attention will turn to how the Red Bull Junior Programme evolves under Lagrue’s leadership. The programme’s role in shaping future Formula 1® competitors remains vital, and this leadership transition is a notable development in the sport’s driver development landscape.
