Two legal battles are threatening to break out behind the scenes close to the world of formula one. Mark Sutton, a renowned F1 photographer, is furious that without seeking permission, Lewis Hamilton used a photo of him doing a burnout on a motorbike whilst leaving Monza on Sunday for his Instagram account.
"The cheek, nerve and blatant misuse of copyright ... and intellectual property!" Sutton said on Facebook. "Any lawyers out there who understand breach of intellectual copyright, let me know!" And a regular spat between the Jean Todt-led FIA and former F1 doctor Gary Hartstein is also still raging, after Hartstein suggested officials of the governing body might be liable for the death of Jules Bianchi.
Hartstein's latest comments earned him a letter from an FIA lawyer, who accused the American of posting "defamatory remarks" with the "sole objective of harming the FIA and its leadership in your quest for personal vindication and publicity". The letter was revealed online by Hartstein, who also published a copy of his reply to the FIA's lawyer. "When writing," he wrote to the lawyer, "I am always scrupulously careful to verify my facts, and to present that which is not factual as not being factual." (GMM)
Replies (3)
Login to replykhasmir
Posts: 893
Excuse me Mr Sutton but if you are the one in the photo then you have the right to use it. Maybe you should pay Hamilton for taking that picture in the first place...
Low life scum photographers living off celebrities are the scum of society imho. You get no respect from me.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Since it was a photo of Hamilton, one would think the photo should actually be Hamilton's to use as he see fit. But I guess he could've asked before using it, just to be sure.
khasmir
Posts: 893
Maybe, or just ad "Photo by..." ;)
But seems it's gone already? Weak ;)