Why Haas F1 will continue to run without a main sponsor in Formula 1 for now
General
- GPblog.com
Following the departure of Uralkali, Haas F1 is without a main sponsor with the Formula One season in full swing. However, the American racing stable is taking its time in searching for a replacement. According to Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 can only cut itself in the fingers if it were to rush now.
Rich Energy and Uralkali
Haas F1 and main sponsors are not yet a happy marriage in Formula 1. Seasons ago it was at odds with Rich Energy and the partnership was terminated early. In early 2022, the contract with Uralkali was ripped in half because the Russian company allegedly had ties to Vladimir Putin. This, of course, had everything to do with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Haas F1 and Uralkali have ended up in a lawsuit. The F1 team has already received a large portion of the sponsorship money and will continue to use it in 2022. In fact, they are also demanding the remaining portion from Uralkali that has not been transferred yet. The departed sponsor claims that Haas F1 has to pay back all the money.
Future of Haas F1
At an earlier stage, Steiner already said that the future of Haas F1 is assured at least for 2022. The loss of Uralkali would even have opened more doors, he said. Steiner stated prior to the Miami Grand Prix that his team will appear at Grands Prix without any new main sponsors for the time being.
"We are currently in a safe position. It makes no sense to push something through quickly that you will have regrets within six months. Anyone who is seriously interested can wait three to six months. We're not worried about that. If we don't think the deal is good enough for the future, we don't need to close it this year. Sometimes it helps more if you wait for the right [offer] in the medium and long term," Steiner told Motorsport-Magazin.com.