Günther Steiner sues Haas

Günther Steiner was the Haas team director in Formula 1 from 2016 to 2023. He takes legal action today against his former employer. He was not retained by the team’s owner, Gene Haas, last December, and he reproaches him for not having paid him certain commissions covering the last two years.

In the documents filed with the Mecklenburg court in North Carolina, Steiner claims that his former team did not pay him the commissions owed to him for several years, which constitutes a violation of his employment contract. He states that the team continues to sell goods bearing his name and image, as well as using it on the official website. He declares that this is done without his permission, and furthermore, he does not receive the royalties to which he claims to be entitled.

In the legal documents, Steiner lays out his argument that he should have been paid for the commissions owed to him in 2021, 2022, and 2023, which were covered by the period outlined in his last employment contract. The legal documents state: « Haas F1 chose not to renew Mr. Steiner’s employment contract. It was within their rights. However, Haas F1 did what it was not entitled to do and refused to pay Mr. Steiner the [censored amount] owed to him under his employment contract. »

They add: But after years of benefiting from Mr. Steiner’s reputation, experience, and strong relationships in the sport, Haas F1 cannot deny Mr. Steiner the benefits he has earned. The court documents did not reveal the specific details of the commissions that Steiner claims are owed to him, but they could be related to sponsorship deals that he brought to the team.

Furthermore, Steiner believes that Haas did not act properly by continuing to use his image and brand. The court document indicates that Haas greatly benefited from Steiner’s presence in the Netflix series Drive to Survive, where he became one of its most popular figures.

« Haas F1 was frequently featured in the series, and Mr. Steiner’s presence on the show attracted more and more fans to Haas F1. This exposure was extremely valuable for the rookie racing team, especially as it was looking for additional sources of revenue to sustain itself in the extremely expensive environment of Formula 1.

For this new season, it is Ayao Komatsu who succeeded him, while Haas is, after five Grand Prix, in seventh place in the constructor’s championship with 5 points scored. Günther Steiner will be present at the Miami Grand Prix as he has been appointed ambassador of this GP.