Gwen Lagrue, the Mercedes driver scout credited with discovering Kimi Antonelli, is leaving the team to join Red Bull, where he will lead the rival outfit's driver development programme. The 50-year-old Frenchman effectively replaces Helmut Marko, who retired as Red Bull's long-standing motorsport adviser at the end of last year. Mercedes and Red Bull are still negotiating his release, and it remains unclear when he will take up the new role; Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies, Mercedes and Lagrue all declined to comment.

Lagrue has spent a decade running Mercedes' young-driver scheme, widely regarded as the most effective in Formula 1, helping unearth George Russell and Antonelli, who was signed at just 11 years old and has gone on to win five races this season. He also supported Esteban Ocon and reserve driver Frederik Vesti, and previously mentored Alex Albon after Red Bull dropped him in 2016, later helping him return to the sport with Toro Rosso in 2019. At Mercedes, his duties are expected to be absorbed by a reshuffle of the existing scouting team, which includes recently promoted deputy team principal Bradley Lord.