Ford Files Lawsuit Against Ferrari on F150 Name

Ferrari might have started their preparation for the 2011 Formula 1 season in style, but what they got in return was a lawsuit filed by North American carmaker Ford. According to reports, Ford has filed a lawsuit at the Detroit Federal Court on Wednesday over the use of the “F150” name for Ferrari's 2011-spec challenger.

As announced by Ferrari in late January, its “F150” name for the 2011 car is a tribute to the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. In addition to naming their F1 car “F150”, the Italian Scuderia has also launched a “ferrari150.com “ website.

On the other hand, it's a well known fact that F150 stands for Ford's famous series of full-size pickup trucks. While this is the main reasoning behind the lawsuit, it is believed Ford is also suing Ferrari for similarities between their own F-150 logo and the one used by the Italian carmaker.

According to a report from the GMM news agency, “$100,000 in damages are therefore being claimed pursuant to the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, relating to internet domains that confuse the public.” Not only that, but Ford will also try to prevent Ferrari from using the F150 trademark in the US. Luckily there isn't an US GP in F1 just yet...

“Ferrari has misappropriated the F-150 trademark ... in order to capitalise on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed,” said Ford when launching the lawsuit.

“This is an important trademark for us and we've spent many years and lots of advertising resources on establishing this name and getting the trademark,” added Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari, according to the Detroit News. “It's one we take very very seriously. It's one of our flagship vehicles.”

We're yet to read an official response from Ferrari.