Just days after it emerged that Steiner is being taken to court in North Carolina for failure to pay some commissions he claims he is owed, it has emerged that Haas has also launched legal action in California.
In documents filed in the Central District of California, Western Division, Haas alleges that Steiner and its publisher Ten Speed Press acted unlawfully by publishing images that it claims violated trademark law.
The Haas document alleges that: “In 2023, without the authorization or consent of Haas Automation, Steiner wrote, marketed, promoted, sold, distributed and profited from a publication entitled ‘Surviving to Drive,’ which he used and unlawfully displayed, and continues to use and display, the Haas Automation trademarks and 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 trademark on the offending product.”
Haas Automation said it raised its concerns with Steiner but did not receive a satisfactory response, which is why it took legal action.
“Haas Automation notified Steiner prior to the lawsuit, but to date Steiner has taken no action to cease or mitigate its infringing acts, necessitating immediate legal action,” the documents add.
“Steiner sells and promotes the offending Product in various media, including, but not limited to, print and digital, in violation of Haas Automation’s exclusive intellectual property rights.”
“Information available online indicates that, as of January 2024, the offending Product has exceeded sales of at least 150,000 units and generated revenues of at least $4,500,000.”
Haas is seeking compensatory damages from the defendants and has asked the court for a jury trial.
The court documents allege that Haas owns several federally registered trademarks for its CNC machine tool business and its motorsports business, which are displayed in the book’s photographs – including the front cover – which it claims are illegal.
Steiner and Haas parted ways at the end of last year after the Italian manager’s contract was not extended.
He had been with the Banbury team since its formation in 2016 and had become a cult figure in F1 circles thanks to his appearances in the Netflix series, Drive to Survive.
If the California lawsuit moves forward, the key question that will likely need to be assessed is whether Steiner and Ten Press’s use of the images can be considered legal or not.
“Fair use” allows individuals and publishers to use others’ trademarks without consent for a variety of purposes, including comment, criticism, news, and comedy.
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