Cadillac Formula One CEO Dan Towriss said he hoped for an amicable settlement to legal action taken by Hollywood director Michael Bay over a livery launch commercial during Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The spot showed the as-yet unnamed black and white car to be raced by Formula One’s 11th and newest entrants this season, with backing from General Motors.
The Athletic and Rolling Stone reported Bay, director of big-budget hits “Transformers” and “Armageddon”, filed a $1.5 million breach of contract and fraud lawsuit in Los Angeles on Friday alleging the team and Towriss had used his ideas without payment.
Rolling Stone said he filed the lawsuit after material related to the advert was released online before Sunday’s launch.
“We have a lot of respect for Michael,” Towriss told reporters on a video call on Monday. “I think it’s disappointing that he chose to do that (legal response).
“Certainly, all of the creative (work) was done well in advance of ever speaking with him. We were wanting to talk to him about a role as director, not taking creative ideas from him.