"Can one of you bozos please get him out of Ferrari": Fans react to Christian Horner and Toto Wolff's comments on Charles Leclerc's contract extension

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently made intriguing remarks on Charles Leclerc's reported contract extension with Ferrari.

With his current contract due to expire in 2024, uncertainty clouded Leclerc's future in F1. Reports of the Monegasque eyeing a move away from Ferrari were swirling around, with Mercedes being in contention for his next destination.

However, those rumors were put to bed after Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported that Charles Leclerc has inked a five-year contract with the Italian outfit.

Once the rumors linking Leclerc to Mercedes were quashed, Silver Arrows' team principal Toto Wolff was questioned about Leclerc's reported contract extension. Intriguingly, Wolff responded (via Sky Sports F1):

"I don't know anything about the contractual situation there, but he's a great guy and why wouldn't Ferrari sign him?"

Meanwhile, Red Bull boss Christian Horner also praised Leclerc. Expressing certainty over his renewal, he said:

"It's totally natural. He's a great driver and I'm sure they'll want to keep hold of him."

Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to react to the comments made by the Mercedes and Red Bull bosses. One fan commented:

"Instead of saying how good of a driver Charles is, can one of you bozos please get him out of Ferrari?"

Praising Charles Leclerc's abilities, another user wrote:

"It's almost as if Leclerc's raw speed and talent is appreciated and respected up and down the F1 paddock as well"

A third fan commented:

"Wondering if Toto also had some inside info about Charles and Ferrari"

Here are some more fan-reactions to Toto Wolff and Christian Horner's comments:

Charles Leclerc reacts to missing out on runner-up spot in Constructors' Championship

Despite Leclerc's best attempts in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari missed out on the runner-up spot in the Constructors' Championship standings. The Italian outfit fell short to Mercedes by a hair-thin three-point margin, much to the dismay of the Monegasque driver.

In a recent interview with formula1.com, Charles Leclerc expressed his disappointment upon losing out to the Silver Arrows. He said:

"Of course, very disappointed with that third place in the constructors’ as that was my only target since two or three races now."

While the 2023 season was, for the most part, a disappointment for Leclerc, the 26-year-old found some form in the closing stages. He secured three podium finishes in the final four races of the season, ending the year on a satisfactory note.

Reflecting on his performances in the final stretch of the season, Leclerc stated:

"I believe that since Japan, when we brought an upgrade to the car, it went in the right direction, especially for my driving style. I always like to have a strong front and I felt much more at ease and could be much more consistent. So yeah, that’s a positive."

With his future in a Prancing Horse outfit looking certain in the longer run, Charles Leclerc would now hope to finally end Ferrari's championship drought sooner than later.