Guenther Steiner Takes Haas F1 Team To Court

Guenther Steiner is suing his former team, in which he has been the team principal for eight years. In the court papers given to court in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Steiner claims that the team did not pay him for commissions that he was owed for several years and after not renewing his contract at the start of 2024, they continued to use his image and brand without authorization.

In the documents, many details were redacted, including the specifics of commissions he is owed, but it could have something to do with the sponsors Steiner has brought to Haas over the years.

The official statement in the court papers is: “Haas F1 chose not to renew Mr. Steiner’s Employment Agreement. This was its right. But Haas F1 has done what it has no right to do and refused to pay Mr. Steiner [amount redacted] owed under his Employment Agreement.”

“But after years of accepting the benefits of Mr. Steiner’s reputation, experience, and deep connections within the sport, Haas F1 cannot withhold from Mr. Steiner the benefits he has earned.”

With Netflix’s documentary series Drive to Survive, Steiner quickly became one of its most popular and prominent characters, drawing attention not just to himself, but also the team he was in charge of — that, of course, being Haas at the time.

“Haas F1 was frequently featured in the series, and Mr. Steiner’s presence in the show drove more and more fans to Haas F1.”

“This exposure was extremely valuable to the upstart racing team, particularly as it looked for additional revenue streams to support itself in the notoriously expensive Formula 1 environment.”

The court documents added: “Haas F1 has no right to use Mr. Steiner’s name, image, and likeness or to exploit them in any form of media after the termination of his employment. Haas F1 has not compensated Mr. Steiner for its unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness.”

Additionally, Steiner claims the team continues to sell merchandise with his name and face featured on it. All of that without his permission and without paying him any royalties.

The documents added: “Haas F1 has no right to use Mr. Steiner’s name, image, and likeness or to exploit them in any form of media after the termination of his employment.”

“Haas F1 has not compensated Mr. Steiner for its unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness.”