09/03/2015
NEWS STORY
The Judge in Giedo Van der Garde's case against Sauber in Australia has deferred his decision until Wednesday.
The Dutch racer has taken Sauber to the Supreme Court of Victoria claiming that the Swiss team reneged on a deal to give him a full race seat this season. He is demanding to be allowed to drive the C34 in this weekend's season opener.
However, lawyers acting for Sauber argue that putting the Dutchman into the car would create an unacceptable risk of death, citing the fact that he has not been fitted for the car or driven it.
"Mr van der Garde has no experience driving the C34 Ferrari and would not have sufficient time to learn," Sauber's lawyer, Rodney Garratt QC, told the court.
However, Tom Clarke, acting for Van der Garde, cited a case in 2012 when a driver was fitted for his seat in just three days.
"Teams are very flexible to make adjustments for every specific driver," he argued.
He also claimed that clauses in the contracts of Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr, who were both in court for the hearing, allow them to be replaced without breaching them.
"Sauber does have the ability to substitute Mr Van der Garde this weekend for one or another driver without falling into breach of those existing contracts," he said.
Will Houghton QC, acting for Ericsson and Nasr, told the court that the pair are both heavily sponsored and bring "many millions of euros" to the Hinwil outfit.
Justice Clyde Croft has reserved his decision until 10:00 on Wednesday.