Giedo van der Garde: Ex-Sauber test driver takes legal action

Van der Garde drove one season for Caterham before joining Sauber

Former Sauber test driver Giedo van der Garde has taken legal action against the team, claiming unfair dismissal.

The Dutch driver claims Sauber reneged on a deal to give him a 2015 race seat.

Van der Garde, 29, has sought a hearing in the Australian state of Victoria on Monday, just a few days before the new season begins in Melbourne on 15 March.

Swede Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr of Brazil have been signed as Sauber's race drivers for this year, replacing Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez.

Monisha Kaltenborn, CEO and Team Principal of the Sauber F1 Team, said: "We will take all necessary steps to protect our company, this team and its interests. Last year was a challenging time for us but going into the 2015 season we have been focused on putting steps in place to ensure that we are delivering the best outcomes for F1's fans."

First practice for the season-opener at Albert Park starts on Friday, 13 March.

Before joining Sauber as their reserve driver in 2014, Van der Garde drove one season for Caterham in 2013.

Van der Garde has been linked with a return to the F1 grid in 2015 with the Manor Marussia team, which has exited administration and intends to race in Australia.