2015 Australian GP Discussion Thread

Post by **mario** » 11 Mar 2015, 07:42

Biscione wrote:
AustralianStig wrote:Aaand Sauber are appealing:

https://twitter.com/adamcooperF1/status ... 8451618817

Unsurprising. Trying to drag the issue through the courts long enough that by the time the court ultimately throws out their ridiculous appeal, qualifying has come and gone, leaving van der Garde unable to take up his contractually rightful place in the team.

Given it took an entire week between GvdG lodging his appeal and it being judged successful, perhaps this time-wasting tactic from Sauber might just work for them...

Unfortunately for them, the appeal hearing is being held on Thursday - if that hearing also goes against them and any attempts to appeal the decision were rejected, then their delaying tactics might not work.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 11 Mar 2015, 07:52

So we could actually get the situation where a driver whom the team don't want getting in the car?

Legendary.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 11 Mar 2015, 09:22

CoopsII wrote:So we could actually get the situation where a driver whom the team don't want getting in the car?

Legendary.

I hope this is the case.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 11 Mar 2015, 09:29

roblomas52 wrote:
CoopsII wrote:So we could actually get the situation where a driver whom the team don't want getting in the car?

Legendary.

I hope this is the case.

The more I think about it the more I do too. It would be somewhat similar to the situation Perry McCarthy found himself in with Andrea Moda and anything that invokes that spirit, and indeed the spirit of 1992, gets my vote.

Aerond · Post by **Aerond** » 11 Mar 2015, 10:04

I hope VdG gets his seat. I therefore join the "Sauber FanHATE Club" because of Katelborn statement that VdG would be dangerous!

And of course, bring Ericson off the car pl0x

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 11 Mar 2015, 12:54

Sauber should never have hired this guy, given how he pulled the rug from under the SuperAguri team back in 2005. Now, Giedo has done it again. Sauber's situation now in this matter is quite odd: are they even contractually allowed to park one of their full-season drivers for this race only? As if they didn't have enough problems already ...

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 11 Mar 2015, 13:13

Yannick wrote:Sauber should never have hired this guy, given how he pulled the rug from under the SuperAguri team back in 2005. Now, Giedo has done it again. Sauber's situation now in this matter is quite odd: are they even contractually allowed to park one of their full-season drivers for this race only? As if they didn't have enough problems already ...

Super Aguri? 2005?

watka · Post by **watka** » 11 Mar 2015, 13:55

Valrys wrote:
Yannick wrote:Sauber should never have hired this guy, given how he pulled the rug from under the SuperAguri team back in 2005. Now, Giedo has done it again. Sauber's situation now in this matter is quite odd: are they even contractually allowed to park one of their full-season drivers for this race only? As if they didn't have enough problems already ...

Super Aguri? 2005?

Not 2005 but 2007 (had to look it up though). Van der Garde is arguably being a massive hypocrite given that he broke a contract with Super Aguri to sign up with Spyker: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/super ... -contract/

I don't doubt that van der Garde has a point in appealing against Sauber, especially as a lot of his sponsorship money has probably been sunk into Sauber, and the courts seemingly agree. However, I can't bring myself to support him as he seems to have a calculating, ruthless streak, as if he is gameplaying. Or to put it shortly, he has a touch of the Souceks about him.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 11 Mar 2015, 14:27

Yannick wrote:Sauber should never have hired this guy, given how he pulled the rug from under the SuperAguri team back in 2005. Now, Giedo has done it again. Sauber's situation now in this matter is quite odd: are they even contractually allowed to park one of their full-season drivers for this race only? As if they didn't have enough problems already ...

van der Garde's legal team were implying as a matter of fact during the original appeal hearing that both Ericsson and Nasr have clauses in their contract that allow them to be benched. Sauber of course haven't said a word on this front.

Sauber have really done a number on themselves here...

Row Man Gross-Gene · Post by **Row Man Gross-Gene** » 11 Mar 2015, 19:15

CoopsII wrote:
roblomas52 wrote:
CoopsII wrote:So we could actually get the situation where a driver whom the team don't want getting in the car?

Legendary.

I hope this is the case.

The more I think about it the more I do too. It would be somewhat similar to the situation Perry McCarthy found himself in with Andrea Moda and anything that invokes that spirit, and indeed the spirit of 1992, gets my vote.

Well, hopefully it doesn't go full-on 1992 and Sauber try to kill him!

Zergon · Post by **Zergon** » 12 Mar 2015, 05:00

Biscione wrote:
Yannick wrote:Sauber should never have hired this guy, given how he pulled the rug from under the SuperAguri team back in 2005. Now, Giedo has done it again. Sauber's situation now in this matter is quite odd: are they even contractually allowed to park one of their full-season drivers for this race only? As if they didn't have enough problems already ...

van der Garde's legal team were implying as a matter of fact during the original appeal hearing that both Ericsson and Nasr have clauses in their contract that allow them to be benched. Sauber of course haven't said a word on this front.

Sauber have really done a number on themselves here...

I would assume that they could be benched for a race (though the driver and his sponsors certainly won´t like it) but that kind of makes me wonder how Van Der Garde wouldn´t have similar clause on his contract. Uhhh, I´m really not sure what to think of this whole mess. I guess Sauber did bring this to themselves but I still hope it won´t end up them having to fold because of financial problems since I doubt that their sponsors like this development at all.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 12 Mar 2015, 17:59

http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... australia/

According to NBC Sauber's appeal was thrown out, AND the court ruled that GvG must race the WHOLE SEASON. There's no way this could happen.....is there?

F1000X · Post by **F1000X** » 12 Mar 2015, 18:14

Sauber can hold pre-qualifying for its driver pool. Whichever two drivers are fastest in practice get to race that weekend.

Post by **mario** » 12 Mar 2015, 20:17

Wallio wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/12/van-der-garde-case-set-for-decision-on-thursday-afternoon-in-australia/

According to NBC Sauber's appeal was thrown out, AND the court ruled that GvG must race the WHOLE SEASON. There's no way this could happen.....is there?

Technically, what the court have said is that the ruling handed down by the Swizz arbitration board would apply in all jurisdictions that the teams will compete in this season - which is not quite the same as saying that Sauber have to let van der Garde race in all of them.

However, it seems that Sauber have been trying some increasingly aggressive measures to try and delay van der Garde for long enough to prevent him racing.

One thing that has emerged is that, back on the 4th March, Sauber told the Contracts Recognition Board that they were cancelling van der Garde's contract, with the cancellation date being back dated to the 6th December 2014.
By doing that, Sauber have also forced van der Garde to go through the Contracts Recognition Board to have his contract validated again - which Sauber seem to be hoping will have bought them just enough time to escape their situation in Australia.

Post by **Londoner** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:04

It begins. This is going to get a lot more uglier over the rest of the day.

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:11

East Londoner wrote:

It begins. This is going to get a lot more uglier over the rest of the day.

I'm calling on all conspiracy theorists to stand up regarding this!

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:17

Frogfoot9013 wrote:
East Londoner wrote:

It begins. This is going to get a lot more uglier over the rest of the day.

I'm calling on all conspiracy theorists to stand up regarding this!

If only that was tweeted a minute sooner...

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:18

Somebody should make a movie out of this affair. It'd be more rejectworthy, and probably more exciting, than Senna and Rush put together.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:23

Waris wrote:Somebody should make a movie out of this affair. It'd be more rejectworthy, and probably more exciting, than Senna and Rush put together.

I promise you that when I become a film director I will grant your wish.

Post by **Londoner** » 12 Mar 2015, 23:44

Loads of conflicting reports coming out. Van Der Garde is in the paddock at last, and having his seat fitted in the Sauber garage. Ericsson is to make way for him reportedly.

However...

Welcome back to F1 people. Somehow, I get the feeling this saga's got a lot longer to run. :lol:

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 13 Mar 2015, 02:54

Oh boy oh boy, F1 season is about to begin and..... wahhhhhhh???????

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 13 Mar 2015, 03:07

Well, Ericsson and Nasr are ultimately Sauber's FP1 and FP2 drivers... not that they got to run in FP1....

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 13 Mar 2015, 03:28

The irony is that Monisha Kaltenborn is a former business attorney. Business law is basically contracts.

Dan B · Post by **Dan B** » 13 Mar 2015, 03:30

Just leaving these here...

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 13 Mar 2015, 03:57

Well... let's hope for the fine?

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 13 Mar 2015, 06:19

Oh Sauber....

I feel asleep watching P1 and now watching Surfing instead of FP2. I have issues but surfing is awesome. STR looks really quick though which is pretty cool.

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 13 Mar 2015, 06:55

No real surprises pace wise here, Ferrari look solid yet unspectacular, Mercedes as dominant as ever, Williams likely holding some pace back but again solid and unspectacular, Force India look decent on race pace but lacking in downforce on low fuel, Toro Rosso look as average as ever, Lotus massively improved but again expect a lower points battle for them, Sauber look a total mess on and off the track, Mclaren look terrible.

But on Mclaren, I think they have simply decided not to bother in all the fly aways and it'll be Barcelona where we see their true pace.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 13 Mar 2015, 07:14

The Giedo VS Sauber saga gets weirder by the day. Here's shaking my head in disbelief.

This photo (or a similar one) of "Giedo the Swedo" should be added to his driver profile on this very website in the future, to illustrate the events:

In the picture, he reportedly is wearing Marcus Ericsson's driver suit, hence my choice of caption for it.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 13 Mar 2015, 08:14

And Daniel Ricciardo is now already on his second of four engines for the year. Oh dear...

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 13 Mar 2015, 08:15

I thought Nasr did well to get 11th tbh.

Benetton · Post by **Benetton** » 13 Mar 2015, 08:18

Monisha should resign.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 13 Mar 2015, 08:28

Are we all sure the Sauber contract drama isn't just Bernie's latest grand plan to create some publicity

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 13 Mar 2015, 08:30

RonDenisDeletraz wrote:Are we all sure the Sauber contract drama isn't just Bernie's latest grand plan to create some publicity

It's certainly dumb enough to be one of his ideas.

razta · Post by **razta** » 13 Mar 2015, 10:37

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ioFi4SRCc

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 13 Mar 2015, 10:57

Are we now getting into 'bringing the sport into disrepute' territory now? Is Monisha about to get the Andrea Sassetti treatment and be hauled away never to be seen again?

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 13 Mar 2015, 11:41

For those of you who are getting overly up in arms over the GVDG row, you may be somewhat relieved to hear that the two parties are talking now and trying to find an agreement.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 13 Mar 2015, 11:50

I'm not sure if I'd describe my feelings as 'up in arms' as I feel sorry for both sides, the driver who wants to drive and the team that wants to survive. It's a hell of a circus though and that image of GVDG in his Sauber overalls should, as someone else pointed out, become a fairly iconic symbol of whatever F1 career he manages to salvage.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 13 Mar 2015, 11:59

CoopsII wrote:I'm not sure if I'd describe my feelings as 'up in arms' as I feel sorry for both sides, the driver who wants to drive and the team that wants to survive. It's a hell of a circus though and that image of GVDG in his Sauber overalls should, as someone else pointed out, become a fairly iconic symbol of whatever F1 career he manages to salvage.

I wasn't referring to you, moreso those who are vilifying Sauber and calling for Monisha Kaltenborn to resign.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 13 Mar 2015, 12:07

As a fan of Sauber, i've been calling for her to resign long before this. I'm now convinced that any reports that say she's "widely respected in the paddock" are actually back handed insults. They have to be.

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 13 Mar 2015, 16:51

Simtek wrote:
Waris wrote:Somebody should make a movie out of this affair. It'd be more rejectworthy, and probably more exciting, than Senna and Rush put together.

I promise you that when I become a film director I will grant your wish.

Could you also direct a Gilles Villeneuve biopic, with me being the screenwriter?

Also there are new TV graphics by FOM and they're pretty ordinary sadly, worse than the DIN graphics of recent years. I was hoping for something different for a change, but not something with a dull font and ugly looking.

Thinking about Magnussen's off, either he really has lost his composure and ability to push to the limit without crashing or that McLaren is a real handful to drive like the Lotus E22.