A US judge has dismissed Haas Automation’s trademark infringement lawsuit against its former Formula 1 team principal, Guenther Steiner.
Haas Automation, parent company of the Haas F1 team, sued Steiner in May for alleged trademark infringement in his autobiography “Surviving to Drive,” alleging that Steiner used the Haas brand and trademarks in his book without permission or the company’s consent.
After not receiving a satisfactory response from Steiner, Haas Automation took the Italian and the book’s publisher, Ten Speed, to court in California, where the parent company is based.
Haas specifically took issue with photographs used in the book, including the front cover, which Haas Automation claimed infringed on federally registered trademarks for its CNC machine tool business and its motorsports business.
Steiner’s defense argued that the use of the Haas logos fell within fair use and was protected by the First Amendment. The California judge ruled that the use of the Haas logos was artistically relevant to the book and was not explicitly misleading, two criteria by which copyright infringement is judged under the so-called Rogers test.
“The book chronicles Steiner’s experiences as Team Principal of the Haas F1 Team during the 2022 season. The use of photos that include Haas branding is an artistic choice to provide additional context on the 2022 season with the Haas F1 Team” , court documents read.
Gunther Steiner
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
“In this case, there is no explicit indication, overt statement, or explicit statement that the ‘source of the work’ is Haas Automation. While it could be argued that the cover photo implicitly suggests an endorsement or sponsorship, there is no Defendants’ use of the Haas Marks is protected by the Rogers test. Defendants’ motion is therefore granted.”
A claim for compensation for unfair trade practices at the state level was also denied. The defense sought to have its legal fees reimbursed by Haas Automation, but because Haas’ complaint was deemed “objectively reasonable,” the request was denied.
Steiner also took Haas to court in North Carolina over commissions and royalties he claims he was owed by his former employer for several years, a lawsuit that is still ongoing.
Backed by Haas Automation founder and NASCAR team owner Gene Haas, Steiner has been the driving force behind the Haas F1 team since its inception in 2014. The former racing director of Jaguar and Red Bull Racing has led Haas F1 as a team principal from the first Grand Prix in 2016 until the end of the 2023 season, when his expiring contract was not renewed and he was replaced by Ayao Komatsu.
When asked by Motorsport.com, the Haas F1 team declined to comment on the matter.
#court #rejects #Haas #lawsuit #Steiner
