Haas F1 Team Aims for Success with New Sponsor

Haas has a fresh appearance and identity, now supported by MoneyGram, reflected by the updated livery for its VF-23 and the new name on the official F1 entry list.

Gene Haas’s team, which bears his name, has attempted to monetize naming rights before as one of only 10 Formula One teams. Both prior efforts were unsuccessful and may have been destined to fail from the outset.

The Haas team’s partnership with MoneyGram has a distinct atmosphere compared to their previous sponsors, Rich Energy or Uralkali. This seems to be a more favorable deal for Haas, with the team’s core identity remaining largely intact as evidenced by their recognizable colors. Team manager Guenther Steiner described it as having “an elevated and modernized look”.

The association with Rich Energy and Uralkali, characterized by their black-and-gold and Russian flag respectively, marked significant changes for Haas, as they were fully embraced by those new colors and their respective brands. This is not the case with the current partnership with MoneyGram.

It was improbable for Haas’s straightforward, small-scale and racing-oriented team to stick to its core principles during the short-lived and erratic period with sponsor Rich Energy. This was due to the company’s attention-seeking leader, who acted as the team’s spokesperson without proper authority and made headlines with his controversial statements.

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Haas’s association with Uralkali, lasting only one year and one pre-season test, was less absurd from the beginning. However, the team was still unlikely to run smoothly during this period.

The arrival of Nikita Mazepin caused issues from the outset, leading to a public relations crisis for Haas even before Mazepin had a chance to drive for the team. Despite official statements to the contrary, a strained and problematic environment developed within the team, which was revealed in detail in last year’s Drive to Survive series on Netflix.

With Mazepin’s father’s company, Uralkali, providing substantial funds to Haas, there was an underlying and sometimes explicit warning throughout the year that Haas was obligated to support its struggling driver, or face consequences.

The termination of the arrangement was not surprising, given the unexpected events in Ukraine accelerated it. This allowed Haas to break free from another difficult partnership.

Uralkali’s support, even though it didn’t provide major support to the organization, came at a time when Gene Haas had some doubts about being involved in F1. Similarly, the Rich Energy deal likely helped. Any signs of dissatisfaction would have likely made accepting substantial funds from interested companies, seen as a risk, more appealing.

A stable beginning in the championship eventually gave way to unexpected commercial instability. The title sponsorships didn’t determine whether Haas would sink or swim, but rather made the waters more turbulent.

F1 and Haas are now in a different situation. This is hinted at by MoneyGram CEO Alex Holmes mentioning that both his company and Haas have entered “a fresh era with a clear strategy and vision.”

A new livery symbolizes the change, as does a more straightforward commercial agreement than before.

Although it may seem dull, it’s more preferable for the long-term compared to Haas’s previous two attempts to establish a similar deal.

Haas F1 Team Sponsor Haas F1 Team Sponsor Haas F1 Team Sponsor

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