Dispute with Uralkali: Haas equipment inspected by bailiffs

The tensions between the Haas team and its former sponsor Uralkali have reached a new stage this weekend. Two months after the judgment, bailiffs have made their appearance in the paddock. The team’s equipment could stay in Zandvoort next week.

A car and money waiting.

Two years ago, during the war in Ukraine, Haas had terminated its contract with its Russian sponsor Uralkali. An abrupt end that had led the company to file a lawsuit against the American team. After several years in the hands of Justice, the Swiss court had declared Haas not guilty, but still obliged them to repay the sums lent by the sponsor as well as Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 car.

Last July, Uralkali had publicly spoken out to criticize Haas. In a letter, the Russian company accused the team of unsportsmanlike behavior as it had not responded to multiple written requests. They had strongly emphasized the deadline by which the obligations were to be met. However, Haas did not comply with the demands, which led Uralkali to refer the matter to the appropriate authorities. The threat they had promised seems to have been carried out.

At the Dutch Grand Prix, the intervention of the Dutch authorities finally took place. The police and judicial officers made their appearance in the paddock at Zandvoort. They inspected the team’s equipment, but so far have not seized anything. For Haas, this has no immediate consequences and the team will be able to participate in the race weekend as planned. However, problems could arise in Monza. If the issue is not resolved in time before departure, the team’s equipment will not be able to leave the country. The team is therefore forced to act quickly to avoid being left without cars at the Italian Grand Prix.

Two divergent statements

This is not the first time that bailiffs have intervened in the paddock. In recent years, teams like Lotus and Caterham have had to quickly find a solution to their financial problems under pressure from the authorities. But on the Uralkali side, the company wants to resolve the issue as soon as possible. A spokesperson for the Russian firm reports that the intervention of the police and bailiffs is an expected consequence of Haas’ lack of action. Haas ignored the judgment of June 12, even though it should have been implemented immediately. Since then, Haas has had two months to act, reads the statement. We have never received an adequate response.

If Uralkali unfortunately have not yet obtained what they want, the procedure strongly provoked a reaction from Haas who spoke out for the first time. « We intend firmly to pay the amounts due to Uralkali. The amount of the sums is not in dispute », the team communicated in an official statement. « Haas is working with its lawyers to ensure that the payment complies with all laws and regulations related to sanctions from the United States, the EU, the UK, and Switzerland. We will continue to work with Uralkali in the coming days to settle this matter definitively », they concluded.

As they finally got a response, the Russian company is pleased to see Haas finally reacting. “We are delighted to learn that following the visit of the Dutch authorities last night, Haas is finally starting to pay attention to the arbitration decision,” Uralkali said. Uralkali wishes for nothing more than to receive what was granted to them in a fair legal process and hopes that Haas will act promptly to rectify the situation so that all parties can move on.

The urge to ignore Uralkali could take Haas again, but this time, the team knows what to expect at the end of the line. The American team, which is already facing financial problems, as its director has stated many times, could accumulate legal issues. Haas, who was having a good season in Formula 1 up to now, cannot afford to risk losing valuable points. Therefore, they will have to resolve this issue as soon as possible if they hope to finish the season.