Formula 1: Rich Energy ‘congratulate’ Haas on early double retirement

The pettiness of Haas Formula 1 title sponsor Rich Energy continued when both of the team’s drivers were forced to retire from the British Grand Prix.

A first-lap incident between Haas teammates Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen in Sunday’s Formula 1 race, the British Grand Prix, at Silverstone Circuit resulted in both drivers being forced to retire from the race, with Grosjean being officially scored in 19th place and Magnussen officially being scored in 20th.

This marked the first double retirement for Formula 1’s lone American team since last year’s Australian Grand Prix, and quick to “congratulate” them for this misfortune was their title sponsor, Rich Energy.

Here is Rich Energy’s tweet about the matter.

This is notable because of the debacle that has taken place over the course of the last week involving Rich Energy’s title sponsorship agreement with Haas.

After announcing that they had terminated their title sponsorship agreement with Haas earlier this week as a result of the team’s “poor performance” and the “PC attitude” and “politics” of Formula 1, Rich Energy have turned this situation into a disastrous one.

Despite this announcement, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner stated that Rich Energy were still the team’s title sponsor, and he went on to confirm that the team’s two cars would run Rich Energy branding in the British Grand Prix.

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Various reports have emerged since then, but most recently, Rich Energy have tried in every way possible to throw Haas under the bus, including by calling them a “milkfloat” at the back of the grid and by harassing them for using their branding in the British Grand Prix since Rich Energy claimed they “sacked” them for “poor performance”.

At this point, given the legal trouble in which Rich Energy have been involved over the last few months and the fact that they did not pay money that they were required to pay to Whyte Bikes over a copyright issue pertaining to their logo when they required to pay it, this situation is looking more and more like a ploy to try to get Haas to remove Rich Energy’s branding from their cars.

Why?

Because if this happens and their title sponsorship agreement has not actually been terminated, which is what Haas continue to maintain without going into literally any more detail, Rich Energy could turn around and sue Haas for breaching this agreement. It seems pathetic, but given everything that has gone on in this situation, it is 100% plausible.

This theory looks even more likely after Rich Energy sent this tweet during the British Grand Prix.

This tweet contains a photoshopped image of Rich Energy CEO William Storey driving a Rich Energy-sponsored Haas milkfloat, a clear reference to the “milkfloat” insult that Storey reportedly made about the team in a quote during which he “confirmed” that his company terminated their title sponsorship agreement with Haas, even when they clearly hadn’t.

The pettiness is unreal, but let’s not lie; this is becoming comical. I’m convinced that most fans that have any sense of humor are actually enjoying this situation at this point. This kind of situation is unprecedented as it is, much less in Formula 1, the highest level of motorsport in the world. It is simply unfathomable that this is actually happening.