There’s trouble brewing at Haas! The American racing team has been at odds with Russian company Uralkali, a former sponsor, for some time now. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Haas tore up all contracts with the fertilizer giant. Uralkali took the Formula 1 team to court to reclaim already paid sponsorship money. Haas has been unable to make any payments, leading Uralkali to seize the Formula 1 cars in Zandvoort.
Haas’ motorhome was visited by bailiffs and the Dutch police on Thursday evening. Based on a court order, Haas’ possessions were inventoried, including the cars that Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are supposed to drive in the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend. The team is allowed to use all necessary materials, but the inventory cannot leave the Netherlands until the debt to Uralkali is paid off.
Sanctions Against Russia
Haas has stated that the sanctions against Russia make it difficult to transfer money to their former sponsor. The team is now looking to work with a number of lawyers to figure out how to handle the payment as quickly as possible. Following a ruling from the Swiss Arbitration Center (SAC), Haas owes their old sponsor approximately twelve million euros. “It’s a complicated process to transfer money now,” team boss Ayao Komatsu responded in a press conference. “It’s taking longer than I had hoped, but we’re working hard to repay Uralkali as quickly as possible.”
