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Hulkenberg critical of Sauber over van der Garde

Nico Hulkenberg has hit out at the Sauber Formula One team for the way it has treated Giedo van der Garde.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India F1 with the media

Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India F1 with the media

XPB Images

Giedo van der Garde, Sauber Reserve Driver
Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India
Giedo van der Garde, Sauber F1 third driver
Jenson Button, McLaren
Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India F1

Van der Garde won a court case on Thursday in Australia to be allowed to race for Sauber, despite the team having signed Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson for the upcoming season.

The Dutch driver claimed it had a valid contract to race with the Swiss squad in 2015, and now Sauber faces the prospect of having three drivers for two cars.

Giedo wants what he was promised

Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg, who drove for Sauber during the 2013 season, says van der Garde was treated poorly.

"[My] take is that they signed four drivers but there is only two cars. That is wrong," Hulkenberg told the BBC, referring to German Adrian Sutil, who also expected to race with the team this year.

"Giedo wants what he was promised and what he was signed for and paid for and that is his right.

"I am not surprised because I know the people, I know how it has been there in the past.

"They were desperate for some money to survive, which is maybe a general problem of F1.

"But still that is not a way to do business and to screw people like this."

Safety not an issue

Sauber had argued it would be unsafe to allow van der Garde to race this weekend because he has not driven the 2015 car, but the court dismissed that.

McLaren driver Jenson Button said using the safety angle was unfair to van der Garde.

"The bit that surprises me most is the comments from Sauber saying it is a safety issue with him driving the car," Button told Sky Sports.

"For me it is a shame that they have gone in that direction, because safety is always a concern in motorsport and we shouldn't be throwing it around lightly.

"Personally him driving the car is not a safety issue. I think it is unfair to use that against Giedo."

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