Former Haas title sponsor Uralkali has alleged that the F1 team has failed to comply with a Court ruling requiring it to refund an amount owed to the company as well as deliver a Formula 1 car.
Last month, a Swiss arbitration court adjudicated a dispute between the American-owned F1 team and its former Russian sponsor that emerged following their split after the Ukraine invasion in March 2022.
Haas unilaterally terminated Uralkali’s title sponsorship deal at the start of the 2022 F1 season and dropped driver Nikita Mazepin, leading to a protracted dispute that culminated in an arbitration hearing in Switzerland.
The court's decision in June was a mixed bag for both sides.
Haas was cleared of any breach of contract and didn't owe Uralkali additional money. However, the court also ruled that Haas couldn't keep the entire $13 million sponsorship fee paid to it by its title sponsor for the 2022 season.
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Haas was thus ordered to return the remaining sponsorship balance for the period beyond March 4, 2022, when the deal was canceled. This sum is believed to be approximately $9 million.
Additionally, the court mandated Haas to fulfill a specific clause in the contract requiring them to deliver a race car from the 2021 season to Uralkali.
According to a statement released by Uralkali on Tuesday, the deadline set by the court for Haas to make the refund and deliver the car has passed without any action from the team.
“Regretfully, neither the money (plus interest plus costs) has been paid, nor the race car delivered by the required deadline,” stated Uralkali.
“A letter sent by Uralkali to Haas in early July providing options for the delivery of the race car to take place went unanswered. Further interest on the awarded sum continues to accrue.”
A Uralkali representative was quoted as saying: “Haas’ failure to execute the required transfers is a flagrant violation of the tribunal’s award as determined by an arbitration process signed on to by both sides.
“This gives new meaning to the expression ‘unsportsmanlike conduct.’ Uralkali will use all means provided for under the law to see that the ruling is implemented.
“Let all current and potential Haas sponsors be aware of the kind of treatment that may await them.”
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