Haas F1 title sponsor Rich Energy has been denied an appeal hearing after losing a copyright infringement battle with Whyte Bikes, a British bicycle manufacturer.
Rich Energy has also been ordered by the UK High Court to provide details of all its financial transactions to date, including its sponsorship with Haas.
Details of the case have emerged after a disclosure by the UK Intellectual Property Enterprise Court this week.
The disclosure confirms Judge Melissa Clarke’s order for Rich Energy to remove the disputed logo from all UK business assets by July 18.
Rich Energy was found liable of copyright infringement in May this year, after Whyte Bikes’ parent company, ATB Sales Limited, accused the brand of stealing its stag’s head logo.
According to the latest court order, Rich Energy must submit documents to the court showing:
“Any sums of money invested in or made available to the First Defendant [Rich Energy], including for the avoidance of doubt sums invested in or made available to the First Defendant in connection with its sponsorship of the Haas F1 Team;
“Any sums of money invested by third parties in any other company or entity controlled by the Second Defendant [Rich Energy CEO William Storey] in connection with and/or pursuant to the First Defendant’s sponsorship of the Haas F1 Team;
“Full details of any sums of money paid or payable to the Haas F1 Team pursuant to the First Defendant’s sponsorship of the Haas F1 Team, indicating in each case whether such sums were paid or payable by the First Defendant or by any other entity;
“An estimate of the proportion of the £50,000 paid to the Third Defendant [logo designer Staxoweb Limited] to produce, inter alia, a logo for the First Defendant which is attributable to the work of designing of a logo as part of that commission, and an explanation of how that estimate was reached.”
Rich Energy must also pay ATB’s trial costs of £35,416 by July 13.
It remains to be seen whether the July 18 deadline will allow Rich Energy to use its stag logo at the British Grand Prix on July 14.
The team has not used the logo since the Canadian Grand Prix last month.