Wolff confirms discussion with Lagrue amid Red Bull rumours
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated:
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Toto Wolff has said Mercedes are "in discussions about the future" with talent scout Gwen Lagrue amid reports that the Silver Arrows could lose the head of the junior driver programme to Red Bull.
Lagrue, 50, has been Mercedes' Driver Development Advisor since 2016, playing a key role in the scouting and development of current drivers, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. According to BBC Sport, however, Mercedes and Red Bull are negotiating an agreement to see the Frenchman released from his existing contract.
Red Bull, having lost motorsport advisor Helmut Marko - a key figure behind their junior driver programme - in December 2025, Lagrue would slot in at a team known for their own strong focus on developing young talent - with current drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar both academy products.
Wolff: Nothing agreed or decided yet
Speaking after the Belgian GP, which saw Antonelli secure victory ahead of Charles Leclerc and Verstappen - while Russell suffered a crucial Lap 1 DNF - Mercedes boss Wolff confirmed discussions with Lagrue "about the future."
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Initially joking that reports were untrue, Wolff admitted to GPblog, and others: "Yeah, we're in discussions with Gwen about the future, but nothing's been agreed or decided yet."
The Austrian credited Lagrue with having build a "fantastic" team in terms of Mercedes' driver development, while also highlighting Bradley Lord's recent promotion to Deputy Team Principal with a need to "carve things out" for the future.
"Gwen has built up a fantastic team. We're about seven, eight, or nine people that are running the junior program going forward and with a handful of juniors.
"With Bradley stepping up as a deputy team principal, these things need to be carved out now, we want to do it together with Gwen. We'll see."
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Wolff reveals Mercedes power unit issues after Russell's Belgian GP DNF: '100% on us'
Photo: Race Pictures
Speaking to Sky F1, Wolff also revealed issues with "all Mercedes engines" when analysing Russell's heartbreak DNF at Spa.
Russell's slow start out of Turn 1's La Source, which compromised his run all the way through Eau Rouge onto the Kemmel straight, was put to Wolff, with the Briton getting "swallowed up" by rivals before race-ending contact with Hamilton at Les Combes.
"Two situations. First, the accident that happened was unfortunate for us. We lost a lot of constructors' points and George drivers' points," Wolff said.
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"We had an issue on all Mercedes engines that we lacked the power out on the straights. That hit him badly and it 100 per cent goes on us."
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