Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has stated F1 is missing Christian Horner, who played a villain role in the paddock.
Horner was dismissed from his team principal duties at Red Bull shortly after the British Grand Prix earlier this year.
The Briton entered negotiations with Red Bull to discuss his severance deal, with an agreement reached between the two parties last month.
Horner was one of the more outspoken personalities in the paddock and did not shy away from voicing his opinion - especially when it came to Wolff and Mercedes during the intensely fought 2021 campaign.
Speaking to Sport Bild, Wolff was asked if he missed Horner on a personal level, to which he replied: "That would be a bit of an exaggeration.
“But it's definitely different without Christian. He is definitely missed.
"We need personalities in this sport. There has to be a villain. Christian was always good at that, because he also felt comfortable in that role.
“He mastered the game with the camera and knew how to use it to his advantage. That is a bit lacking now, because there is no friction at the moment."
Horner has shown interest in making a return to F1, with Aston Martin and Haas confirming they received calls from the 51-year-old.
Addressing Horner's potential to return to the grid, Wolff said: "He has to decide that for himself.
“I don't know if he feels he still has something to prove and wants to show that to everyone.
“In any case, he has shown that he knows how to get victories and win titles. You can't deny him his success."
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