How stupid are Sauber?

snowy

Champion Elect
This perhaps warrants a thread all its own but for now I'll just ask the question here...

HOW STUPID ARE SAUBER?

Two courts have ruled that they have breached a contract with Giedo van der Garde and that he should race for Sauber in 2015 season. Apparently they are appealing against Supreme Court Justice Clyde Croft's latest decision, the appeal will be heard today. With hundreds of thousands if not millions at stake, I want to know how a professional F1 team gets themselves into a situation like this? Surely someone on the team has dropped a huge bollock and should be sacked.
 

Brogan

Legend
Staff Member
Yup.

The legal trouble suddenly surrounding the Sauber Formula One team involves not only Giedo van der Garde, who is suing to retain his seat for the 2015 season, but former driver Adrian Sutil. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that Sutil, another driver originally promised a 2015 seat, has filed a suit in Switzerland, seeking "compensation rather than a forced reinstatement" from the Hinwil-based team.

http://www.topix.com/formula1/adrian-sutil/2015/03/150306T7K3I1
 

snowy

Champion Elect
Sauber has flushed itself down the toilet!
They are basing their appeal on safety grounds, saying that they do not want to jeopardise the safety of any other driver on the track, by having an unprepared driver their car.

I can't see that working. :nah:
 

Brogan

Legend
Staff Member
I made a similar comment elsewhere earlier.

Their defence is very weak and I can't see it resulting in the original ruling being overturned.
 

cider_and_toast

Exulted Lord High Moderator of the Apex
Staff Member
Valued Member
The thing is that lower order teams bench their drivers as a mater of course sometimes. Just look at Caterham last year benching Kobyashi. Surely all Sauber have to do is say to VDG, ok, you can go to Australia but you're not running. They must be able to do that within the contracts surely?
 

siffert_fan

Too old to watch the Asian races live.
Contributor
Is it at the point now where any added money that the newest drivers brought to the team will now, in all likelihood, have to be spent paying off the old drivers, meaning the team has netted nothing by changing drivers?
 

FB

Not my cup of cake
Valued Member
A Super Licence usually takes 2 weeks to go through the system at the FIA. I can imagine Sauber are asking the people in the Place de la Concorde to move as slowly as possible.
 

Dartman

Pole Sitter
He only needs a renewal, the last ran out in December, you can bet your sweet, ? it's over half way through, or VDG is really a pillock..
 
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