Kevin Magnussen's Formula 1 team must not leave the Netherlands. Haas has been visited by some Russians who believe they have DKK 60 million to their credit.
Haas F1 can forget about leaving the Netherlands after this weekend's grand prix at the Zandvoort track. A former sponsor believes that he has DKK 60 million to his credit.
The sponsor, the Russian fertilizer giant Uralkali, was nothing less than the team's main sponsor in 2021 and right up until Russia chose to invade Ukraine.
This meant that both Nikita Mazepin and his father, and thus the company Uralkali, withdrew from Formula 1. But there is a problem with the money. First move is have Uralkali won.
That's what Autsport writes.
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A Swiss arbitration ruling back in June means Haas will have to repay the Russians part of the sponsorship money for the 2022 season. So now Uralkali has asked the Dutch courts to prevent Haas from leaving the country.
The amount that Haas owes is money that Uralkali had prepaid for the period after March 4, when both sponsor and choirs were kicked out of Formula 1. It is believed to amount to 9 million dollars 50 million kroner.
Now the Russians believe that Haas has exceeded the payment deadline from July, which is why both the bailiff and the Dutch police have visited the Haas garage in Zandvoort. It happened on Thursday evening, when it was assessed how much the technique the team has brought to the Netherlands is worth. And whether, in that case, it can cover the Russians' demands.
For the time being, the agreement is that Haas can run the race in the Netherlands as usual. But they must not take either equipment or cars with them from the track, because it has been decided whether the Russians have something to base their demands on.
Haas, for its part, has said that the side has to pay everything it owes to the former main sponsor. But there are disagreements about how and how.
" Haas intends to pay Uralkali all amounts owed under the arbitration award, and there is no dispute as to the amounts owed .
Haas has worked with its lawyers to ensure that the payment will comply with all relevant US, EU, UK and Swiss sanctions and regulations. We will continue working with Uralkali in the coming days to resolve this matter once and for all ."
However, the Russians already seem to have lost patience. Especially because Uralkali claims that the American Formula 1 team has disregarded the decision from Switzerland.
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