Mercedes and Puma are being sued by American track and field athlete Abby Steiner for alleged negligent product liability, after her career came to a premature end.

Two-time world champion Steiner has taken action against the Mercedes Formula 1 team and former partner Puma, in a lawsuit filed on 24 April, 2026. The lawsuit has been filed in Middlesex County Superior Court in Massachusetts.

While this is not an F1-related matter, it is claimed that Mercedes and Puma were “involved in and had control over the design, development, testing, manufacture, marketing, promotion, advertisement, sale, importation and distribution of a variety of PUMA footwear, including the PUMA SHOES and component parts at issue in this Complaint.”

Puma was a long-term partner of the Mercedes F1 team, but this relationship came to an end following the 2024 season, with the team instead joining with Adidas. 

In the filing, it is stated that she is “seeking recovery for substantial personal injuries and damages suffered by Plaintiff after Plaintiff was seriously injured by products designed, engineered, tested, developed, manufactured, advertised, marketed, promoted, imported, sold and distributed by Defendants.”

The products in question see four Puma shoes highlighted – Deviate Nitro Elite 2 and 3, evoSpeed Tokyo Nitro, evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro 400M – although it is made clear that this action is not limited to these four makes, and expands to any others that make use of specific carbon plate or nitrofoam technology.

Steiner signed a contract with Puma in 2022, but announced in August 2025 that she was “taking a step back from running”.

The filing claims that: “As a direct and proximate cause of Defendants’ negligence and wrongful misconduct as described herein, Plaintiff has suffered and will continue to suffer physical and emotional injuries and damages including past, present, and future pain and suffering, including the inability to compete in track and field at the national and Olympic levels.”

The filing further alleges: “[The] Plaintiff developed severe and permanent injuries resulting in multiple surgeries, rehabilitations and recovery.”

It is alleged that products with the carbon footplate and/or nitrofoam technology “alters the biomechanics of runners or the manner in which the stresses of running impact their bodies”. In turn this is alleged to have “caused bone stress injuries” and “increased the likelihood of foot injuries”.

Mercedes declined to comment when contacted by Crash.net. Puma has also been approached for comment. 

Puma is far from the only brand to use carbon plate technology, with rival brands Nike, Adidas, and New Balance among those to offer products that have this feature.

Steiner is suing on five counts. These are: manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, and breach of warranty for fitness for a particular purpose. She is also seeking compensation for injuries and damages.