Chaos at Haas: The former Russian sponsor Uralkali demands payment, threatening the team’s assets.
Tense moments at Haas. The American team’s former sponsor, Uralkali, has filed a petition in Dutch courts to seize the Formula 1 team’s assets, including cars and other equipment, due to an unpaid debt. The team had terminated its contract with the Russian sponsor just one year after signing it (following Nikita Mazepin’s entry), due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
As a result, on Thursday evening, bailiffs and police visited the Haas team at Zandvoort to move forward with the matter and evaluate the team’s assets. While the situation was resolved, Haas will still need to pay $9 million to Uralkali, as ordered by the arbitration ruling, in what the Russian company described as “a fair judicial process” .
Although it was agreed that Haas’s participation in the Dutch Grand Prix would proceed as normal, it has been communicated to the team that they will not be allowed to remove their cars and equipment from the country after the race until the payment is made. This means that, in the event of complications, Haas could miss the Italian Grand Prix.
Team Statement
“Haas is fully committed to paying Uralkali all amounts owed under the arbitration award, and there is no dispute over the amounts due.”
“Haas has worked with its legal counsel to ensure that the payment complies with all relevant U.S., European, UK, and Swiss sanctions and regulations. We will continue to work with Uralkali in the coming days to resolve the matter definitively.”
Photo: MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
