Mercedes has confirmed the departure of younger driver guru Gwen Lagrue, with the Frenchman formally becoming a member of Crimson Bull as junior programme director
As beforehand reported by Motorsport.com over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, long-standing junior driver guru Lagrue is becoming a member of the Crimson Bull Formulation 1 group in an analogous function to the one he held at Mercedes. On Monday afternoon, Mercedes formally confirmed on its social media channels that Lagrue can be departing the Silver Arrows.
“Thanks Gwen. It’s been an ideal experience collectively,” Mercedes wrote in its farewell message. “Collectively, we’ve developed many younger drivers, together with our present F1 drivers George [Russell] and Kimi [Antonelli], and also you’ve made a improbable contribution.
“We’ve got constructed a real successor to the unique Mercedes-Benz junior group, and you permit in place a proficient group to hold on this work. Skilled relationships could come to an finish, however we’ll all the time stay mates, with a shared mindset. We want you effectively in your subsequent problem.”
Quickly after, Crimson Bull formally confirmed Lagrue’s arrival, naming him the organisation’s director of the Crimson Bull Junior Programme, the place he’ll report back to group principal and CEO Laurent Mekies, and fill the void created by the retirement of long-time driver advisor Helmut Marko on the finish of final yr.
“Gwen is likely one of the perfect expertise builders in F1 and I do know first-hand the experience, management and keenness he brings to creating younger drivers,” mentioned Mekies. “The Crimson Bull Junior Programme has all the time been a cornerstone of Crimson Bull’s success, and having Gwen lead it quickly displays the significance we proceed to put on creating the subsequent era of F1 expertise.
“We wish to recognise one other time at this time the extraordinary contribution Helmut Marko has revamped greater than twenty years creating and main the Junior Programme. The Junior Programme has turn out to be the benchmark in F1 due to his imaginative and prescient, dedication and skill to establish and develop distinctive skills and he deserves monumental credit score for that.”
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Lagrue added: “Becoming a member of Oracle Crimson Bull Racing marks the start of an thrilling new chapter for me. After eleven memorable years at Mercedes, I felt this was the appropriate second to tackle a brand new problem and proceed rising personally and professionally.
“The Crimson Bull Junior Programme is likely one of the most revered and profitable driver growth programmes in motorsport. It has produced among the biggest skills F1 has ever seen, and it’s a actual honour to have the chance to steer such a proficient group of individuals and assist form its subsequent chapter.”
Underneath Lagrue’s tenure, Mercedes introduced the likes of Esteban Ocon and George Russell to F1 via the Mercedes junior programme.
Kimi Antonelli, who was noticed by Lagrue in go-karting on the age of 11, was the newest prospect that Mercedes fast-tracked via the single-seater ranks, culminating in an F1 debut on the age of 18 and title successful type in his sophomore yr this season.
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