Guenther Steiner is filing a lawsuit against Haas due to claims of unpaid commission.
Guenther Steiner is taking Haas to court over unpaid commissions he believes he is owed over his final contract with the team, court papers reveal.
After the 2024 season, Steiner’s contract to lead Haas was not extended by team owner Gene Haas. Instead, Haas appointed Ayao Komatsu as the new head of the organization. However, Steiner has filed a complaint in North Carolina claiming that he is owed money.
Guenther Steiner sues Haas over claim of unpaid commission
The court recently made public the redacted documents pertaining to the lawsuit filed by Steiner and his legal team against Haas. The lawsuit alleged that Steiner’s “fame and personal qualities” played a significant role in Haas’ transformation from a small racing team to a prominent brand in the F1 racing world.
The filing did not disclose the exact amounts, but the legal claim against Haas asserts that there is an undisclosed sum owed to Steiner as commission. The case alleges that the team has been withholding this payment since 2021.
The statement mentioned that although the team had the choice to not extend Steiner’s employment contract, they acknowledge a specific sum that they believe he deserves as commission for the years 2021 to 2023 as per the terms outlined in his previous agreement with Haas.
According to a statement in the filing, Haas F1 is being reminded that they have benefited from Mr. Steiner’s esteemed reputation, extensive experience, and strong network in the sport for many years. Therefore, it is unfair for them to deny him the rewards he has rightfully earned.
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According to the court document, the team had been selling merchandise featuring his image without providing any royalty payments to Steiner, even after they had ended their collaboration. The representatives of the former team principal strongly oppose this action and believe it should cease immediately.
Steiner has become one of the most popular and recognisable figures in the Formula 1 paddock in recent years through his appearances on the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive, with his outbursts at Haas drivers in particular proving to be some of the most quotable moments from the show.
According to the filing, it was stated that after Mr. Steiner’s employment termination, Haas F1 does not possess any rights to utilize or exploit his name, image, and likeness in any media form.
Mr. Steiner has not received any compensation from Haas F1 for the unauthorized utilization of his name, image, and likeness.
When PlanetF1.com reached out to Haas for a comment on the legal filing, they declined to provide any response.
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