Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner would love to see Sebastian Vettel join Mercedes for 2021, although pairing the German with Lewis Hamilton would be "a lot to take on" for the Silver Arrows squad.
The recent announcement of Vettel and Ferrari parting ways at the end of the season has left the four-time world champion with few options moving forward.
But among Vettel's opportunities for 2021, Mercedes remains a potential destination as the German outfit has yet to confirm its line-up for next year.
Horner, who helped guide Vettel to his world title achievements at Red Bull, would welcome Vettel's move to the championship winning team, although he admits it is an unlikely prospect.
"He’s still in his early 30s, he’s still phenomenally quick and maybe Mercedes will fancy the headache of having him and Lewis together," said Horner, speaking to David Coulthard, on the latter's 'F1 Unscripted with Heineken' podcast.
"It would be great for all of us to see and witness, [as] from a team point of view that would be a lot to take on.
"He’s a great driver, I’m sure he’s given this a lot of thought and all we can do is wish him the best.
"I think Formula 1 will be worse off if he’s not there, but you have to respect his decision."
Horner believes that at just 32-years-old, Vettel could easily afford to spend a year on the sidelines before returning to the grid in 2022.
"What he’s achieved in his career is phenomenal so if he were to decide that there’s not a competitive drive available to him at the end of this year and he called it a day [he can],” said the Red bull chief.
"He could even take a year out if he wanted. He has a young family, he’s one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport."
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