Toto Wolff criticizes Max Verstappen, Roman taxi drivers respond: “We drive slow like Mercedes”. Roman taxi drivers respond to Toto Wolff’s criticism comparing Verstappen to cabbies in Rome and Naples.

After Toto Wolff’s remark about Max Verstappen, a response has arrived from Roman taxi drivers.

“He’s overly aggressive. He acted like some taxi drivers in Rome or Naples. There’s a lot of aggression in Naples or Rome with cars, people drive without rules,” were the words of the Mercedes Team Principal. With this statement, Toto Wolff intended to describe Max Verstappen’s behavior at the end of the Spanish GP, but his remarks were not at all appreciated by Italian taxi drivers.

The reference was clearly to the incident involving the Red Bull driver and George Russell. After being instructed to give up the position to number 63, Max Verstappen deliberately struck the Mercedes of the British driver. The move was later punished by the stewards with a ten-second penalty and three points on his Super Licence, bringing the Dutchman just one point away from a race ban.

The response from Roman taxi drivers arrives
Toto Wolff’s comments quickly made the rounds and reached the ears of Roman taxi drivers who, contacted by OE24, wanted to respond on the Max Verstappen matter.
“Formula 1 drivers wouldn’t last even an hour in Rome’s traffic—we’re better than them,” said Loreno Bittarelli, president of the 3570 taxi association. “We drive among construction sites, motorcycles, electric scooters, and tourist buses. Rome is a jungle, much worse than a Formula 1 circuit. We’re the first ones who don’t want to get into accidents, because otherwise we lose a whole day’s work.”

Nicola Di Giacobbe, spokesperson for the Taxi Filmt-Cgil taxi union, also commented on the Wolff issue. “Here in Rome we drive as slowly as a Mercedes. We’re the most skilled drivers of all. But the traffic situation in this city is catastrophic. Now it takes thirty minutes to cover two kilometers.”