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.
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