F1 News: Haas Retaliates With Lawsuit Against Guenther Steiner

Haas Automation sues former team principal Guenther Steiner over alleged trademark infringements in his autobiography.

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Guenther Steiner the former Haas team principal seen in / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Haas Automation has initiated legal action against its former team principal Guenther Steiner, alleging trademark infringements linked to his autobiography. The lawsuit, filed in California, accuses Steiner of unauthorized profit from the use of Haas trademarks in his book. 'Surviving to Drive.'

The core of Haas Automation's complaint centers on allegations that Steiner, who was the American team's principal from its inception in 2016 until the end of the 2022 season, employed the company’s trademarks extensively in his autobiography without obtaining prior consent. The book, which outlines Steiner's experiences and challenges in Formula 1, has reportedly sold over 150,000 copies and garnered revenue exceeding $4.5 million since its release.

The legal document reads, as quoted by Autosport:

“In 2023, without permission or consent from Haas Automation, Steiner authored, marketed, promoted, sold, distributed, and profited from a publication titled “Surviving to Drive” (the “Accused Product”), which unlawfully used and displayed, and continues to use and display, the Haas Automation Trademarks and the Haas Automation Trade Dress for Steiner’s personal financial gain and illicit profit.

“Haas Automation never consented to Steiner’s use of the Haas Automation Trademarks or the Haas Automation Trade Dress on the Accused Product.”

The complaint specifies that Steiner's use of the Haas logo and other brand identifiers in marketing and distributing his book was unauthorized. This action, Haas argues, could potentially cause confusion among consumers and dilute the brand's proprietary value, rights strictly protected under U.S. trademark laws.

“Haas Automation gave pre-lawsuit notice to Steiner but to date Steiner has taken no action to cease or mitigate his infringing acts, necessitating the instant lawsuit,” the papers added.

“Steiner sells and promotes the Accused Product in various mediums, including without limitation print and digital, in violation of Haas Automation’s exclusive intellectual property rights.

“Information available online indicates that as of January 2024, the Accused Product has exceeded sales of at least 150,000 units and generated revenue of at least $4,500,000.”

Haas Automation has thus approached the court to seek appropriate redress, which includes financial compensation for damages incurred.

This comes after it was revealed that Steiner had filed a lawsuit against Haas, citing several grievances including unpaid commissions and unauthorized use of his personal image. This legal action stems from allegations that span from 2021 to 2023, where Steiner claims he has not been compensated for commissions linked to sponsorship deals he helped secure. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Haas of continuing to sell merchandise and maintain his image on their official website without his consent, exploiting his popularity gained through his appearances on the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive.'