Former Sauber reserve driver Giedo van der Garde will have to wait until Wednesday 11 March to see whether he will drive for the Swiss team at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old Dutchman started legal proceedings against the Hinwill-based outfit last week as he sought a hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Van der Garde claims he had a contract to be one of Sauber’s two nominated drivers in 2015 only to be undercut by Caterham refugee Marcus Ericsson and F1 debutant Felipe Nasr.
The 2008 Formula Renault 3.5 champion had originally brought the case to the Arbitration Institution in Switzerland, which had ruled in favour of the sidelined driver. Indeed, the tribunal had ordered Sauber “to refrain from taking any action the effect of which would be to deprive Mr van der Garde of his entitlement to participate in the 2015 Formula One Season”.
Van der Garde had then elected to lodge documents in Australia in order to have the decision enforced. The case was heard in Melbourne on Monday morning but a tweet sent out on the court’s official feed read "Judgment reserved in F1 driver Giedo van der Garde dispute against Sauber, to Wed, 10am”.
The opening free practice session of 2015 takes place in Australia on Friday 13 March at 12:30pm, local time.
Click here for the gallery from day four of the final test
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 project is already under the microscope, but racing director Allan McNish…
Max Verstappen will launch his long-awaited Nürburgring 24 Hours debut from the second row of…
Cadillac F1’s arrival on the grid in 2026 has been anything but quiet, and according…
Alpine has strengthened its growing 2026 Formula 1 project by officially welcoming former FIA head…
The 65th running of the Indy 500 held back in 1981 saw an interesting and…
Ralf Schumacher has opened up about the emotional strain he experienced during his F1 career,…