Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has warned that Christian Horner's exit from Red Bull could negatively impact the team in the future.
Horner was sacked by Red Bull in July after 20 years in charge despite the team having won the Drivers' Championship in each of the four seasons preceding 2025.
Vettel, who retired from driving in 2022, won all four of his drivers' titles during his six-year spell at Red Bull from 2009-2014.
Asked by SportNews F1 ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix what he made of Horner's exit, Vettel said: "Surprised. I mean, Christian has been there for so long, since the very beginning, and knew this team, knows this team inside out.
"I think for this year, everything was in place."
Horner was swiftly replaced by Laurent Mekies, who worked alongside Vettel at Toro Rosso before the 53-time race winner was promoted from Red Bull's junior squad in 2009.
Despite his clear respect for Mekies, and the upturn in results the team have had since the sport's summer break, Vettel warned that challenges could still arise as a result of Horner's exit.
"I know Laurent as well, the successor, and I've worked with him, and he's a really great person," Vettel said.
"But I think Christian left some big footsteps, not just because of all the success he's had with the team, but also, I think he was such a central part of the team, knew what was going on and so on.
"I'm not completely aware of the organisation, the structure, and especially the plan for the future, but that's where I think it's valid to say, let's wait and see how it turns out."
Vettel also revealed that he held talks over taking up a role at Red Bull but says the discussions "never gained any traction".
Vettel retirement in 2022 came after he spent his final two seasons with Aston Martin, following a six-year stint with Ferrari after leaving Red Bull.
The strong connection the German retained with the team resulted in him being mentioned as a possible future Red Bull team principal, or as a replacement for the team's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, who has long overseen the selection of drivers - including Vettel - for the four seats across the two squads.
Asked whether he could be part of Red Bull's future, Vettel said: "I don't know. I read as well, there was a lot of talk about it and so on.
"And I did speak with Helmut a little bit, but it never got anywhere, never gained any traction."
The 38-year-old has appeared on several occasions in the paddock since his retirement, largely in support of the environmental initiatives he passionately promotes.
While he doesn't appear interested in an imminent return to the sport, Vettel isn't ruling it out in the future.
"I think for me, I'm fairly happy where I am in life right now," he said.
"I love Formula 1. In the beginning, I thought I'm not sure whether I want to keep watching because I need to get a distance and so on, but I watch the races and I follow and I love it because I just love the sport. I know the guys as well, so I'm still close in that way.
"And, I don't know, if the right opportunity, position, perspective, whatever, turns up or could turn up, maybe there's a role that I could be happy to step up to, but time will tell."
Formula 1's thrilling title race continues with the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21-23, live on SportNews F1.
