Red Bull hires Mercedes talent chief Lagrue to replace Marko in 2027
Plus: Aston Martin's upgrades roadmap, Russell's engine software root cause identified, Mercedes still searching for answers.
TL;DR
- Red Bull appoints Gwen Lagrue, Mercedes' 11-year talent spotter who developed Kimi Antonelli, to lead the junior programme from 2027 as Helmut Marko departs.
- Aston Martin's Hungary B-spec (16 aerodynamic components) is just the start; Adrian Newey mapped upgrades for Zandvoort, Monza and Baku ahead of the summer break.
- Mercedes identifies engine software issue that crippled George Russell's start at the Hungarian GP, dropping him to 19th on lap one before his recovery to seventh.
Team and driver news
Red Bull raids Mercedes talent development to replace Marko
Lagrue spent eleven years identifying and developing Mercedes drivers; he now leads Red Bull's elite junior programme.
Red Bull confirmed Gwen Lagrue as the new Director of its Junior Programme, effective 2027, succeeding Helmut Marko after a quarter-century at the helm. Lagrue departs Mercedes, where he spent over eleven years as head of talent, helping shape drivers like title leader Kimi Antonelli. The 2026 junior programme includes F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov and Arvid Lindblad, now with Racing Bulls. Team principal Laurent Mekies described Lagrue as "one of the very best talent developers in F1," signalling confidence in Red Bull's ability to attract top personnel from competitors (via Formula1.com).
Russell's engine software identified as Hungarian start culprit. Mercedes isolated a power unit software issue that caused Russell's throttle malfunction at the Hungarian GP start, dropping him to 19th after anti-stall triggered when his engine revved uncontrollably at lights-out. After spending weeks chasing multiple potential causes—drag, battery, bearings, floor—the software bug explained why Russell's revs plummeted to 4,500rpm while Antonelli hovered near 5,800rpm. The discovery came after the race; the summer break now looms with Mercedes seeking a fix (via Motorsport.com).
Technical and regulations
Aston Martin outlines multi-race upgrade sequence through late season
Newey maps aerodynamic evolution across four races, starting at Hungary and carrying through the calendar toward Baku.
Adrian Newey described Aston Martin's Hungary B-spec package—16 aerodynamic updates introduced Friday—as only the opening phase of a planned development sequence. The modifications target the car's general competitiveness rather than structural overhaul, leaving the chassis, suspension layout and mounting points unchanged. Newey set a measured immediate goal: "get at least to a point of respectability now." He outlined a roadmap of future steps at Zandvoort, then additional updates at Monza and Baku, allowing the team to digest each upgrade's impact before introducing the next. Engine partner Honda is also scheduled to deliver improvements at the Dutch Grand Prix. The methodical approach reflects both time constraints and the team's strategy to understand each change before piling on (via Formula1.com).