Australian Grand Prix 2015, Melbourne - Race 1/19

I was happy to pay £7.50 last year but at £20 they can forget it.

I also spent more time watching the app that the race when I used it and it was always ahead of the footage so I knew what was about to happen - it took all of the fun out of the race.
 
Timing isn't free anymore. Wasn't last year. You could see, green, white or purple blobs last year. App has essentially the info the teams have on the pit wall.

Anyway, back to F1.



Sauber are getting their nuts kicked by a trio of Judges in Australia it seems.

All from @AdamCooperF1 on twitter.

So @GvanderGarde is back in court as the appeal kicks off... @SauberF1Team's man is speaking first, explaining grounds of appeal

The three judges are already giving @SauberF1Team lawyer a hard time. They are much better informed than yesterday and taking no nonsense

Judge tells @SauberF1Team "The point is you agreed to do something and that's what you should be doing..."

Interested spectators here today are Steve Robertson and Eje Elgh, managers of @Ericsson_Marcus and @FelipeNasr

'@SauberF1Team using @GvanderGarde's lack of a superlicence as its key piece of evidence...

GVDG is of course entitled to one but it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation because the team isn't going to help him get it...

Exasperated judges keep asking @SauberF1Team why all the preparations for @GvanderGarde to drive were not done earlier...

Judges keen to point out that @GvanderGarde won the first judgement against @SauberF1Team on Dec 3 and team has had plenty of warning

The @SauberF1Team lawyer was incorrect in telling driver applies for superlicence. Process is responsibility of the team

Have to say it's a stream of nonsense from @SauberF1Team lawyer. Judges don't seem to be buying it

'@SauberF1Team claims this case doesn't apply outside Australia, ie remaining races. Original judge said it did...

After a lengthy discussion on legal technicalities @SauberF1Team's argument has come to a close

Lawyer for @Ericsson_Marcus and @FelipeNasr now giving his side of the story

Lawyer for ERI and NAS said they and their managers knew nothing of the original arbitration proceedings, and should have been involved

One wonders why @SauberF1Team did not tell the ERI or NAS camps what was happening...

BTW last year @SauberF1Team also forgot to tell SUT and VDG that NAS had been signed... 'What we have here is a failure to communicate!'

Judge asks ERI/NAS lawyer: "@SauberF1Team has binding contracts with three drivers, which one should they breach?" Straight to the point

ERI/NAS lawyer says his drivers could face legal proceedings if they drive and deprive VDG of his seat. Judges laugh at suggestion

Judge tells ERI/NAS lawyer that would only happen "at the far outer reaches of the galaxy..."

End of submission from ERI/NAS lawyer, we're now hearing from @GvanderGarde's man

'@GvanderGarde's lawyer tells court that team is responsible for superlicence, ie @SauberF1Team's lawyer was wrong...

'@GvanderGarde also making point that FIA sporting regs make late changes of driver very straightforward. Not what @SauberF1Team said...

'We are confident that we can get a licence' says VDG lawyer. Adds that if he can't, 'so be it,' but that should not impact decision

VDG lawyer says Monisha K wrote to Contract Recognition Board on 4/3/15 saying VDG contract had been terminated on 6/2/15...

In other words after VDG has won his arbitration case and team was told that he should drive...

VDG lawyer says Sauber telling CRB that VDG contract had been terminated was a breach of the Swiss arbitration judgement

VDG lawyer confirms there will be no legal action from his side against NAS or ERI if they drive and deprive VDG of his seat

That was a good move by VDG camp as ERI/NAS lawyer made a big point of saying that his drivers could be under legal threat

Judges tell @SauberF1Team "we are telling you to take steps" to enable VDG to participate, ie not do anything to prevent it happening

They haven't made their decision yet but in effect are acknowledging that time is moving on and @SauberF1Team is trying to hold things up

'@SauberF1Team lawyer says VDG contract was terminated in February because he spoke to media - breach of confidentiality...

Submissions now over, judges having a think about timing of their decision. They hinted at 0930am tomorrow which makes life tricky...

Judges will hand down their decision at 1630 today...
 
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And a few from @Kate_Jones7 who is a Melbourne news reporter

Sauber's appeal has begun against judgment which would allow Giedo van der Garde to race in #F1 GP. Team CEO Monisha Kaltenborn is in court

#F1 Court: Sauber laywer says FIA has advised no one can drive in GP without a superlicence and Giedo van der Garde does not have one.

#F1 Court: Sauber laywer says it's too late for van der Garde to obtain a superlicence, so regardless of outcome of appeal, he can't drive.

#F1: Judges ask Sauber why it hasn't challenged Swiss court's order allowing van der Garde to drive until now, when it's almost too late.

#F1 Court: Judge asks Sauber lawyer: "You have a contract. Why don't you just comply with it?" Clearly some frustration from the bench.

#F1 Court: Back to the seat issue. Sauber lawyer says there's no car seat in Melbourne which could be adapted to suit van der Garde.

#F1 Court: Judge says Sauber could make a conscious decision to ignore the arbitrator's ruling. But there would naturally be consequences.

#F1 Court: Sauber's lawyer interprets order as only applying within Australia. Wouldn't affect rest of F1 season elsewhere. Judges disagree.

#F1 Court: Sauber says best option would be to go back to Swiss arbitrator and get new order. That seems inevitable. It's a mess as it is.

#F1: Sauber statement from Dec 3 said 'teams are flexible' & 'driver-specific changes are done quickly.' Lawyer now insists 2 wks for seat.

#F1 Court: Sauber lawyer has finished. Now hearing from lawyer for new drivers Marcus Ericsson & Felipe Nasr. They too have legal contracts.

#F1 Court: Lawyer says new drivers knew nothing about Swiss ruling despite impact on them. Dispute should never have gone to arbitration.

#F1 Court: Lawyer says Nasr & Ericsson could be in contempt if they take their seats in GP, since order says no one can stop Giedo racing.

#F1 Court: Judge says Sauber has put Nasr & Ericsson in 'very unsatisfactory position' by signing 3 drivers. One contract must be breached.

#F1: New drivers' lawyer says Swiss order is too vague. Can't force Sauber to give van der Garde a seat, licence, suit or track passes.

#F1 Court: It's now van der Garde's lawyer's turn. They're racing through this hearing. Time is crucial, with GP practice on tomorrow.

VDG's lawyer quotes #F1 rules which say driver changes can be made any time before qualifying. Rules are designed with changes in mind.

#F1 Court: VDG's lawyer says, "We are confident we can get a licence." But he adds it's irrelevant to appeal, which is decided just on law.

Giedo van der Garde's lawyer is talking up his client: "He's young & handsome. He'd be an advertiser's dream." #F1 #Sauber

#F1 Court: VDG's lawyer says Sauber has already breached Swiss order by nominating new drivers & telling FIA his contract was terminated.

Lawyer says Giedo van der Garde has trained all his life for opportunity to drive #F1 cars. That's why he pursued case rather than seek $.

Giedo van der Garde's lawyer says with every moment that slips by, the chance of him driving this weekend becomes less possible.

#F1: Judge tells Sauber lawyer the team should be taking steps in preparation for van der Garde to race, in case it loses the appeal.


[edit]

Oh, and I'd just like to point out that Monisha Kaltenborn is a lawyer who has a Masters in International Business Law from London School of Economics.

Hmmm....

I'm starting to think that Sauber won't be taking any part in this Aussie GP. If they can't make a seat in 24 hours, they are doing something wrong. Small foam beads and some 2 part expanding foam and a couple of bin bags will do for a weekend. It's been done in a couple of hours before at a GP weekend.

[another edit]

Just flipping through my server looking for something to watch, and a movie jumps out that reminds me exactly of this. The Producers! Congratulations! You now own 125% of a Sauber F1 race seat. ;)
 
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Flibster said:
I'm starting to think that Sauber won't be taking any part in this Aussie GP. If they can't make a seat in 24 hours, they are doing something wrong. Small foam beads and some 2 part expanding foam and a couple of bin bags will do for a weekend. It's been done in a couple of hours before at a GP weekend.
Click to expand...

While that may have been done before, would it meet current F1 safety regulations? I don't know if its a regulation, but I do remember that F1 seats can be removed from the cars in one piece in order to remove the driver from the car with minimal back movement, something I doubt that a few lumps of foam would be capable of
 
Reaper 392 said:
While that may have been done before, would it meet current F1 safety regulations? I don't know if its a regulation, but I do remember that F1 seats can be removed from the cars in one piece in order to remove the driver from the car with minimal back movement, something I doubt that a few lumps of foam would be capable of
Click to expand...

Yup.

IIRC it was done last year with Caterham. They had 7 different drivers including the Free Practice ones.

The seat is essentially there to support the spine. The second set of strapwork is what is used to lift the seat out, with the driver still attached to it via the primary restraints. Some of those 2 part expanding foams are ridiculously tough too.
 
Manor Fully Assembled

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Although this is floating round..

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I'm not sure just turning up to the first race gets them the prize money. I'm pretty sure they have to complete the minimum amount of races and exist at the end of the season. Simply not bothering to run is against the rules too so could see them excluded.
 
And this is what happened at 5:30am ish uk time over in Oz. Again from @AdamCooperF1

Back in court again! Action about to kick off @GvanderGarde wasn't here this AM but he is now

Whatever happens the superlicence is going to be a bit of a problem, simply the logistics of getting it done. FIA has a process to follow

Appeal is dismissed - so @GvanderGarde has won

So VDG wins, and now we wait and see what happens next...

Legal saga continues - @GvanderGarde is to about to apply for an enforcement of the order, to ensure @SauberF1Team to complies...

As we wait for the next step @GvanderGarde tells me: "Sauber has to work with us now. There is no other issue"

This next step will basically give @GvanderGarde extra legal ammunition to make sure that Sauber can't ignore the judgement

Meanwhile @GvanderGarde tells me he's pretty confident that the superlicence can be fast tracked. He's been in touch with the Dutch ASN

The team has to apply via the driver's ASN, so at least at the Dutch end of things it will happen quickly...

So the next step starts - a new judge appears. Legal process works quickly in Australia!

The new action from @GvanderGarde names Monisha Kaltenborn personally in addition to the team. A 'freezing order' and contempt mentioned

'@GvanderGarde's lawyer talking of "potential sequestration of @sauber's assets and committal of its directors" if team doesn't comply

'@GvanderGarde lawyer refers to press release yesterday in which M Kaltenborn raised safety concerns

VDG lawyer: Kaltenborn statement "was clearly calculated to make it more difficult for our client to participate"

Re Monisha Kaltenborn @GvanderGarde lawyer mentions prison - but acknowledges that it would be a last resort...

'@GvanderGarde lawyer on @SauberF1Team delaying tactics: "One gets the feeling that there's a little bit of Yes Minister going on here"

'@GvanderGarde lawyer requesting full list of @SauberF1Team's assets in Australia as a first step to potential sequestration

And Justice Croft agrees and asks @SauberF1Team to provide list of assets, ie the equipment that's here in the paddock

Court proceedings will continue tomorrow at 1030am, ie two hours before practice starts. And so the saga continues...

To clarify what's happening, @GvanderGarde has filed a Contempt of Court Application to force @SauberF1Team to comply with the order

If @SauberF1Team hasn't taken steps by 1030am Friday to comply and allow @GvanderGarde to drive, sequestration orders could follow

And then we get into potential seizing of the @SauberF1Team assets in the paddock and action against Monisha Kaltenborn as a director

It was revealed today that in applying for the appeal @SauberF1Team had asked for it to be heard next week - after the race! Nice try


And from @kate_jones7

BREAKING: @SauberF1Team has LOST its appeal. It means Giedo van der Garde should be allowed to race in #F1 GP this weekend. #7NewsMelb

#F1 Court: Judges say 'no practical injustice demonstrated' so decision of court & Swiss court stands. Not convinced by Sauber's arguments.

#F1 Court: Sauber has also been ordered to pay van der Garde's legal costs.

#F1 Court: Even though van der Garde has been given green light to race, it's unclear whether it will happen, since practice starts tomorrow

Appeal is over but we're back in court for new matter: Giedo van der Garde against @SauberF1Team for breach of contract #F1 @SCVSupremeCourt

#F1 Court: Justice Croft, who made yesterday's judgment, is back on the bench. Van der Garde's lawyer says Sauber has flouted his order.

#F1: Seems it's not a breach of contract alleged but contempt of court, for ignoring court order. Against Sauber & CEO Monisha Kaltenborn.

#F1: lawyer claims Sauber is in contempt of court order because it's refused to take steps to allow van der Garde to race despite judgment.

#F1: van der Garde's lawyer has accused Sauber of trying to drag out the case beyond race day. It wants a freeze on Sauber's assets in Aust.

#F1: Judge asked straight out whether Sauber intends to comply with order. Lawyer said it will, but refused to say what it's done so far.


Haven't had a chance to look at it, but there is video of the appeal and the judgement.

Appeal - http://scv2.webcentral.com.au/sentences/coa_sms_v_gvdg_12mar15_v2/index3.html?

Judgement - http://scv2.webcentral.com.au/sentences/judgment_vdg_v_sm_11mar15/index.html
 
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englishpremier said:
Just plain lol at Sauber.

Even Nasr has come out and said Geido is doing the right the thing. Obviously it's Eriksson that would lose out if Sauber did let Geido race.

It's all bit mess. Shame on them.
Click to expand...

Massa, Button, Perez and Hulkenberg have also come out in support of GvdG. Glock has said that it's unreal, didn't actually come out in support but said it's an alarm bell for F1.

This should be fun. Monisha Kaltenborn is in the Team Principal press conference tonight. :D
 
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I'm actually glad this is happening, it's about time. And sauber are being idiots. Teams think they can do what ever they want with contracts, they can't.
Although I expect in reality all it will do in future is have bigger, better get out classes.

Also anyone watch on now TV.
Ebay seller sent me the wrong code, so I have a Carling 24hr pass applied to account, he's know sent me supposedly the right code for a week long Carling pass. But I don't seem to be able to apply it. Is this right or am I just being dumb? If I have to waste the day pass so be it as it was free due to there mistake.
 
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