Angry taxi drivers responded to Mercedes' Toto Wolff.

Angry taxi drivers responded to Mercedes' Toto Wolff.

      Italian taxi drivers have humorously responded to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff's remarks. When asked about Max Verstappen's maneuver on George Russell in Barcelona, which Lando Norris likened to Mario Kart, Wolff remarked to Sky Italia: "It resembled certain taxi drivers in Rome or Naples, who act wildly in traffic."

      In reaction to this comment, Loreno Bittarelli, president of the Roman taxi association Cooperativa Radiotaxi 3570, stated, "We’re more skilled than Formula 1 drivers, who wouldn’t even last an hour navigating Rome’s traffic." He elaborated to Corriere della Sera: "We navigate through construction zones, motorcycles, e-scooters, and tourist buses. Rome is chaotic—far worse than a Formula 1 circuit."

      While some might interpret his statements as lighthearted, Bittarelli cautioned Wolff against perpetuating "false stereotypes." "We're the first to want to avoid accidents because otherwise, we’d lose our income for the day," he emphasized.

      The perspective of the Roman taxi union was supported by Filt-Cgil, the Italian federation of transport workers. Nicola di Giacobbe, the federation's head, humorously remarked, "We drive as slowly as Mercedes here in Rome. We are the most skilled drivers of all. However, the traffic situation in this city is disastrous. It currently takes 30 minutes to travel just two kilometers."

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Angry taxi drivers responded to Mercedes' Toto Wolff.

Formula 1 | Italian taxi drivers have humorously responded to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. When questioned about Max Verstappen's maneuver on George (…)