Formula One driver Giedo van der Garde says he is ready to race in the Australian Grand Prix after a court ordered his team to put the dumped driver back on the track.
The Dutch driver won a Victorian Supreme Court court decision forcing Swiss-based team Sauber to reinstate him on Wednesday.
Sauber appealed the decision but the Victorian Court of Appeal on Thursday rejected its second bid to stop van der Garde suiting up.
The 29-year-old says he is still hopeful of racing, despite the fact Sauber has taken no steps to bring him back into the fold.
"I'm hopeful of racing, I'm fit, I'm ready," he said outside court.
"Of course I want to race, it's my life, I've been racing from nine years old, I'm good at it, so you're passionate about it."
Jim Peters QC, for van der Garde, launched contempt of court action against Sauber late on Thursday, claiming the team was in defiance of the court order.
He said Sauber had made no effort to reinstate van der Garde, and sought to seize the team's cars to ensure they complied with the court's ruling.
Rodney Garratt QC, for Sauber, told the court the team would refrain from taking any steps to prevent van der Garde from racing.
Justice Clyde Croft ordered Sauber to deliver details of their assets in Australia by 9.30am on Friday, ahead of a contempt of court hearing.
Sauber dumped van der Garde in November, but he believes he can successfully reintegrate in time for Sunday's race.
"I'm still in contact with a few engineers, a few mechanics, I've always had a very good relationship with them," he said.
"I don't see any problem with that, I think once we sit down and we start working together all the heads will be on one side and the only thing we'll want to do is perform together."
It is unclear if Sauber will pursue any further action.
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