F1: Force India loses court battle over sponsorship
There was always going to be some trouble over Kingfisher's sponsorship deals. Surprisingly, it wasn't because Toyota got upset when Mallya took over most of Spyker and moved the branding there. Instead, it was because Spyker sponsors took umbrage at Force India's branding. The UK's Court of Appeal says they were within their rights to do so.
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Spyker had heavy sponsorship from Abu Dhabi companies Etihad Airways and Aldar Properties. When Vijay Mallya bought a majority interest in the team, he plastered the cars with adverts for Kingfisher Airlines - and Kingfisher Beer, Whyte and MacKay whisky and other products from the group he controls.
Etihad said "you can't promote a rival airline." Aldar said "you can't associate us, a Muslim company, with alcohol.
Force India said "we'll do as we like - give us the money." When the sponsors refused, Force India sued and won in the High Court with an order that the two companies pay the sum of USD4.7 million.
They appealed and, a year later, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
HHJ Bernard Rix said "Force India rode roughshod over all these rights and protections. What rights and protections? Their status as the primary and most prominent sponsors was relegated as the Kingfisher brand appeared on all major surfaces. To associate Muslim companies with alcohol was a breach.
Force India is building a reputation for using the Courts: it has also sued Lotus, Mike Gascoyne and the team's aero developers alleging that they copied parts of the Force India design for the 2010 cars.
Few people expect them to be successful in that action, either.
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