Haas cleared for Italian GP after settling Uralkali payment

The Haas F1 team has officially received clearance to leave the Netherlands and head to the Italian Grand Prix, following the confirmation of payment to former sponsor Uralkali.

Haas' trucks were detained at the Zandvoort circuit overnight after the Dutch Grand Prix, as Uralkali awaited a $9 million payment from the American-based team.

During the weekend, Uralkali had sent bailiffs to the paddock to ensure the payment was made. The situation arose after Haas was ordered to settle its dues with the Russian company, following the early termination of their sponsorship agreement in March 2022, a decision prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Following the tribunal order in June, Haas had not settled the payment by the time the Dutch GP was held, leading Uralkali to take action," according to sources familiar with the matter.

On Thursday, bailiffs compiled an inventory of Haas' equipment at the Zandvoort circuit, preparing to seize assets if the payment deadline was missed over the weekend. Consequently, Haas faced the immediate risk of missing the trip to Monza for the next race on the F1 calendar.

However, Haas confirmed on Monday that their trucks had departed from Zandvoort and that Uralkali had received the payment.

There are still concerns about the potential impact of Haas' equipment leaving the Netherlands later than anticipated. Rival teams had commenced their journey to northern Italy on Sunday night, which might place Haas at a logistical disadvantage as preparations ramp up for the Italian Grand Prix. Whether this delay will have any lasting effects on Haas' performance remains to be seen.

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