Rome’s taxi drivers have expressed strong outrage over a recent comparison made by Mercedes Formula One chief Toto Wolff, who likened their driving style to the aggressive behavior of F1 star Max Verstappen. The remark came in the aftermath of the Spanish Grand Prix, where Verstappen, a four-time world champion, received a penalty after colliding with George Russell’s Mercedes. Wolff described the incident as “road rage” similar to that seen among taxi drivers in Rome and Naples, sparking a wave of indignation among the city’s cabbies.
The comment sparked immediate backlash, particularly in Rome, where taxi drivers felt unfairly targeted. They challenged the idea that their driving could be equated with Verstappen’s on-track aggression. Instead, many emphasized the unique challenges they face daily in navigating Rome’s notoriously chaotic traffic. “Maybe it would be better if Wolff focused on his own team’s performance,” said Loreno Bittarelli, president of Rome’s largest taxi cooperative, criticizing the F1 boss for what he saw as an unnecessary insult.
Other drivers added a dose of humor and realism to the debate. Nicola Di Giacobbe, from the taxi union Filt-Cgil, joked that Roman taxi drivers “drive like a Mercedes” since their cabs often crawl at around 30 miles per hour a speed not far from that of many cars stuck in city traffic. However, Di Giacobbe also acknowledged the serious traffic problems in Rome, describing the streets as “a no man’s land” where congestion and rule-breaking are daily struggles for all motorists.
Roberto, a veteran taxi driver with four decades of experience, was quick to defend his colleagues. “We are the best at driving in the chaotic traffic of this city,” he said. He argued that taxi drivers in Rome are generally more patient and skilled than the average driver, forced by necessity to adapt to increasingly difficult conditions. “This city has gotten worse in recent years now it takes 30 minutes to go two kilometres,” Roberto lamented, highlighting the extent of Rome’s traffic woes.
Alessandro, another taxi driver, dismissed Wolff’s remarks as a “banal cliché.” He pointed out that taxi drivers have a professional incentive to avoid accidents, as crashes would cost them valuable working hours. “We are the ones who are first in not having accidents,” he said firmly. Alessandro also challenged Formula One drivers to navigate the real-life obstacles of Rome, such as construction zones, electric scooters, and tourist golf buggies, with the same skill they show on the race track. “Rome is now a jungle, not a Formula One track,” he noted.
The remarks by Wolff were made during a media session following Verstappen’s penalty at the Spanish GP. When an Italian journalist attempted to defend the country’s drivers, Wolff reiterated his point about the aggression and lack of rules typical in the centers of Rome and Naples. His comparison to taxi drivers, who are often stereotyped for their aggressive driving, was intended to underline Verstappen’s apparent loss of control during the incident.
While the taxi drivers in Naples appeared more indifferent to the comparison, in Rome the reaction was swift and vocal. The city’s drivers have long faced criticism for their style behind the wheel, but they also contend with uniquely difficult conditions. Years of construction, a surge in electric scooter usage, and an influx of tourists using unconventional vehicles have all made driving in the city a daily challenge.
For many of Rome’s taxi drivers, their job demands a level of patience, skill, and local knowledge that few outsiders fully appreciate. The chaotic traffic environment requires constant vigilance and adaptability qualities they argue set them apart from the high-speed precision of Formula One racing but also demonstrate a form of driving expertise that Wolff’s comment overlooked.
In the end, the taxi drivers’ backlash serves as a reminder of the complex realities of urban driving in Rome, where the rules of the road are often bent, and navigating the streets is less about speed and more about survival. For them, Wolff’s remarks missed the mark, reducing their daily grind to a cliché and overlooking the professionalism and resilience required to keep the city moving.
