Haas F1 Team is facing logistical delays in transporting their cars and equipment to Monza for the upcoming Italian Grand Prix due to an ongoing legal dispute with former sponsor Uralkali. Dutch bailiffs conducted an inventory of the Haas garage at Zandvoort last Thursday, following a local court action to enforce a ruling by a Swiss arbitral tribunal made in June. The tribunal ruled that Haas must return the remaining balance of a sponsorship contract that was canceled in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The original contract with Uralkali, a Russian fertilizer company, was reportedly valued at $13 million, with $9 million still due to be repaid to the sponsor. Haas was required to settle this amount before receiving clearance to transport their equipment to Monza, the site of the Italian Grand Prix scheduled for next weekend.
A spokesperson for Haas confirmed that the payment had been sent on Friday, and they expect to pack up and proceed as usual on Sunday, pending official clearance. However, the team’s trucks will have to wait for final approval before departing for Italy. Despite the complications, Haas remains hopeful that everything will be in place for the race at Monza.
