Rokit launch legal action worth £119m against Formula 1 team Williams
Former title sponsor of Williams F1 team Rokit has launched legal action worth £119m against the racing outfit in hopes of winning compensation for reputation damage.
Rokit, co-founded by Jonathan Kendrick, became a sponsor of the historic F1 team on the basis the struggling team would improve, but it did not.
Williams has described the attempt to claim damages as “spurious”.
Rokit joined Williams ahead of the 2019 Formula 1 season on a three-year deal but the break enforced by the pandemic put the deal on hold, and Williams cancelled it in May ahead of the season resumption.
The Rokit claim states: “A direct and proximate result of the fraudulent statements made by the defendants, plaintiffs have suffered significant financial loss and damage to their goodwill and business reputation.”
Rokit boss Jonathan Kendrick told Motorsport.com: “The warrants and the commitments that were given by the board to us could never, ever have been fulfilled. And they just simply were not true.
“If you remember they turned up at Barcelona [for 2019 testing] late, because they hadn’t got the money to do it.”
The energy drinks company are seeking £119m from Williams.
The Formula 1 outfit said: “Williams Racing is aware of this spurious claim.
“Having successfully won an arbitration against Rokit in the UK and successfully petitioning for the arbitral award to be confirmed by a federal court in the United States, Williams continues to trust in the court processes in regards to this unfortunate matter.”