Gunther Steiner was fired by Haas before the 2024 Formula 1 season. Gene Haas and Gunther Steiner have been locked in a heated dispute for some time. After being removed from his position by the team before the 2024 season, Steiner has been playing a cat and mouse game with his former employer. As a result, the team, owned by Haas, has filed a lawsuit against Steiner for violating their trademark.
Since stepping down as team principal, Guenther Steiner has taken on a different role as a commentator and columnist in the world of Formula 1. He has also fulfilled his dream of writing a book, which was published in April 2023. However, the release of his book has now turned into a legal battle, with both parties accusing each other of financial and copyright violations in recent weeks.
As a result, Haas Automation has filed a lawsuit against Steiner in the Central District of California. Haas and his lawyers claim that Steiner’s book contains images that violate trademark regulations. They also accuse Steiner and the publisher, Ten Speed Press, of acting illegally by not obtaining consent to use the alleged images in advance. This high-profile case involving a breach of trust between the two parties is expected to take weeks or even months to conclude.
On one hand, the American team is involved in legal proceedings against their former team principal, while on the other hand, the Kannapolis-based team has lost their spot to another team in the 2025 season. This raises questions about whether Haas will treat their two drivers equally or if there will be some disparity.
In response to these speculations, the pilot in question rejected the allegations of favoritism by the team. The Danish pilot stated that he does not expect Haas to show preference for one pilot over the other. He also emphasized the high levels of teamwork and sportsmanship between the two pilots, as demonstrated previously. Both pilots are committed to scoring points for the team in the upcoming stages.
Despite the pilot’s calm attitude, his position in the team is at risk for the next year. Therefore, it is essential for him to score more points to secure a spot in the 2025 Formula 1 season.