Wolff Attack on Verstappen Angers I...read more

Wolff Attack on Verstappen Angers I…read more

In an unexpected twist to Formula 1’s ongoing off-track drama, Toto Wolff’s recent criticism of Max Verstappen has sparked outrage—not just among Red Bull fans, but also among Italian taxi drivers.

The Mercedes Team Principal made headlines this week after publicly accusing Verstappen of having a “taxi driver’s mentality” during aggressive defensive driving at the Monaco Grand Prix. While Wolff aimed to undermine the Red Bull driver’s racecraft, the metaphor quickly backfired.

The Italian Taxi Drivers’ Union (Sindacato Nazionale Tassisti) issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, calling Wolff’s remark “disrespectful” and “insulting to the thousands of hardworking drivers who navigate far more chaos than a Formula 1 circuit every day.”

“Comparing a world-class driver to a taxi driver may seem like an insult in F1 circles,” the statement read, “but we remind Mr. Wolff that taxi drivers are the real masters of defensive driving, strategy, and speed—especially in cities like Rome and Naples.”

Social media lit up with memes showing Verstappen photoshopped behind the wheel of a Fiat taxi, while some Italian drivers cheekily offered him honorary status as a “Tassista Onorario.”

As the F1 circus heads to the Canadian Grand Prix, neither Verstappen nor Wolff has commented further, though Red Bull team insiders say Verstappen “chuckled” at the comparison and quipped that “at least taxi drivers know how to get the job done.”

Whether Wolff’s remark will fuel Verstappen’s fire or simply drive more memes remains to be seen—but for now, Mercedes might want to steer clear of booking taxis in Milan.