With one week before the opening race of the 2022 season, Haas F1 team is facing legal action from former title sponsor Uralkali.

In a response to the Russian/Ukranian conflict, Formula 1 officially announced the global motorsport would not race in Sochi this season. Days later, Haas F1 team dropped one of their drivers, and their title sponsor. Now, the company is seeking financial reparations.

Russian Dynamic in Haas F1 Team

Haas replaced their then-veteran lineup of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grojsean in favor of a pair of rookies. Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher took one seat, while F2 driver Nikita Mazepin also received the call to Formula 1. There was speculation Mazepin was a pay-driver, someone not particularly deserving of the seat, but bringing financial support to the team.

Haas F1 team, who have been struggling in recent seasons, marked a deal with Uralkali to be the title sponsor. Mazepin’s father, Dimitry, conveniently happens to be the majority shareholder of the Russian fertilizer company.

The team failed to score any points in 2021, and Mazepin was consistently outperformed by his teammate. Now, Haas F1 team has dropped both the driver, and sponsor amidst Russian aggression against Ukraine.

‘We Want Our Money Back!’

Uralkali is taking legal action against Haas F1 team, demanding the team repay the sponsorship money they gave. Every sign of Uralkali has been removed from the 2022 Haas car, and it sports a new livery void of the color blue it previously ran in association with the company. The team, however, has been short on cash. The team almost died going into the 2021 season, and the Uralkali sponsorship has been the only thing keeping the team afloat.

Haas Plan For Survival

Haas F1 Team brought back Kevin Magnussen to take Mazepin’s seat. This provides a lot of benefits for the team. First, they get a veteran presence on the team. Magnussen will be someone respected around the paddock. He can mentor Schumacher, a talented young star with a lot of expectations. He also possesses the experience to get the most performance out of the car to further development.

But the biggest potential benefit is the return of Jack & Jones to Formula 1. When Magnussen was dropped by Haas, the Danish driver took the Danish clothing company with him. The company took a stance against the Mazepin signing, which was surrounded by sexual harassment controversy when announced.

However, with Magnussen back in the car, it’s possible Jack & Jones makes a serious return to the team. There’s rumors circulating Haas F1 already has a new primary sponsor lined up, and are awaiting an official announcement, although no company has been named. But J&J just makes sense.

For more Formula 1 content, check out the writing Jesse Thermer (@jt_oneseven) heading into the 2022 season.