Rome Taxi Drivers Slam "Unfair" Verstappen Comment
Taxi Operator Exhibits Aggression
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In Rome, taxi drivers are up in arms over Max Verstappen's driving style being likened to their own by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. This comparison whipped up quite a storm in Italy.
Max's recent rowdy performance on the Barcelona track has passengers in Rome's taxis fuming. Wolff drew the parallel, claiming Verstappen drove like "a hot-headed taxi driver in Rome or Naples," where there supposedly are no rules and plenty of raw aggression[1][2].
Although Neapolitan cabbies might give the comment a pass or shrug it off, their Roman colleagues hit back. "We're more skilled than F1 drivers," said Loreno Bittarelli, head of Rome's largest taxi association, to Corriere della Sera. "Rome traffic is a dangerous jungle, far worse than any race track."
The taxi drivers argue that Wolff is perpetuating a misconception about their aggressive driving. Nicola di Giacobbe of Filt-Cgil taxi union labels this as a "false stereotype." Instead, he counters with a jab at Mercedes, whose glory days seem to be decades past[1]. "Our driving style might just be as sluggish as theirs now," he quips.
Verstappen's Reaction: Sarcasm Meets Insight
Wolff's comment likely stemmed from a question following the Spanish Grand Prix during an Italian TV interview[1]. Verstappen had prevented teammate George Russell from passing during the race's final lap, leading to a collision, a 10-second penalty, and a drop to 10th place. With this move, he earned three penalty points, bringing him close to a racing suspension[2].
The tension in the cockpit was evident, with the championship hopes fading early on – Verstappen now ranks third in the driver's championship with 137 points. His gap to the leading McLaren duo, Oscar Piastri (186) and Lando Norris (176), is concerning[1]. But don't count Verstappen out just yet! He responded to Russell's criticism of his maneuver with a sharp retort: "I'll bring him some tissues next time," he quipped.
It took driver Verstappen a while to recognize the error of his ways. After Russell's statement about taking safety risks[2], Verstappen confessed on Instagram that the collision was "unnecessary and shouldn't have happened." Red Bull boss Christian Horner had already shared that Verstappen had apologized to Russell in the team debrief[2]. Let's wait and see how this unfolds in the upcoming races!
In response to Toto Wolff's sports-analysis likening Max Verstappen's driving to that of Rome's taxi drivers, Loreno Bittarelli, head of Rome's largest taxi association, asserted that the drivers underwent vigorous vocational training and navigated more dangerous roads than any race track, challenging Wolff's comparison as a misconception. Meanwhile, Nicola di Giacobbe of Filt-Cgil taxi union playfully suggested that Mercedes' glory days may have paralleled the taxi drivers' sluggish driving style.
