Haas settles sponsorship dispute and releases cars so the team can compete in Monza · RaceFans

Haas has settled a dispute with a former sponsor that threatened to jeopardise the company's participation in this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

The team has been banned from transferring its equipment from Zandvoort in the Netherlands, where yesterday's race took place, until it has repaid an amount owed to its 2021 title sponsor, Uralkali.

Haas terminated its sponsorship deal with the Russian fertilizer maker in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The team also dropped Nikita Mazepin, the son of Uralkali boss Dmitry Mazepin, as both were initially sanctioned by the European Union.

In June, a court ruled that Haas had to repay Uralkali the money it had received for the period of unpaid sponsorship. Uralkali also claimed that Haas had promised to deliver an example of its 2021 chassis.

While sanctions against Nikita Mazepin were lifted in April this year, other restrictions on doing business with Russia remain in place for the third year since the war began, which Haas said made attempts to pay Uralkali the amount demanded more difficult. This prompted Uralkali to take action, and Haas was banned from removing its equipment from the paddock after the Dutch Grand Prix.

Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu stressed that they respect the decision of the arbitration panel and explained on Friday at the race track that they would adhere to it.

“Transferring these funds is a complicated process,” he said. “We've been working on it, it's taken longer than I'd like, but we're fully focused on getting it done as quickly as possible.”

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Uralkali said on Monday that it had “received in full the payment owed by Haas (including interest and fees) following the ruling of the Swiss arbitration tribunal. We have also received the racing car to which we are entitled under the terms of the sponsorship agreement.”

“For this reason, Uralkali has informed the Dutch authorities that they could release Haas' assets from seizure as a provisional measure and that Haas is free to remove them from the Netherlands.”

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