Red Bull swoop for Mercedes star and top insider reveals shock at stunning signing

Red Bull

Red Bull swoop for Mercedes star and top insider is shocked by stunning signing

The signing made everybody sit up and take notice

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Tuesday 18 August 2026 12:27

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Red Bull shocked the F1 paddock by swooping for superstar Mercedes talent scout Gwen Lagrue, and insiders are very very impressed by the move.

The Milton Keynes team have struggled so far in 2026, with Max Verstappen openly considering his future with a much-publicised exit clause in his contract now active.

The team has been hit by by a worrying talent drain in the last 24 months, with the likes of Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko, Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall all leaving.

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Red Bull will also have to plan their future without Verstappen's long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who will join McLaren not later than 2028.

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Lagrue signing a genius move by Red Bull

While that mass exodus is hugely concerning for Red Bull, team principal Laurent Mekies and co are taking steps to address it, and the signing of Lagrue - who spent more than a decade heading up driver development at Mercedes - is a significant step.

Lagrue was the man responsible for nurturing talents like George Russell and the current championship leader, the brilliant Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli. He will effectively fill the void left by Marko when he begins his new role in 2027.

Lagrue is a significant signing for Laurent Mekies.

Steiner surprised by major signing

Top F1 insider Guenther Steiner, speaking on the Red Flags podcast, said: “I was quite surprised to see him leave Mercedes - they must have made him an incredibly attractive offer, as he had built strong relationships there.

The former Haas boss continued, “He truly excels at spotting talent and understands every racing series inside out.

"Gwen has been at this game longer than most, which gives him a unique edge in knowing exactly what to look for.

"Laurent’s decision to bring him on board for the future was an excellent move."

Things are now looking up at Red Bull

Things are now very definitely starting to look up at Red Bull, with the signing of Lagrue not the only piece of good news in recent days.

The team is reportedly signing Aston Martin star Tom McCullough as it looks to fill the void which will be left by Lambiase.

Reports also claim that the team have persuaded chief engineer Paul Monaghan to stay with a counteroffer after it had appeared he was about to leave for Cadillac.

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F1 Red Bull Mercedes Laurent Mekies Gwen Lagrue