Giedo van der Garde arrived at Albert Park, venue of the season opening Australian Grand Prix, early on Friday and headed straight into the Sauber garage.
The development followed his lawyers filing a contempt of court action against the Swiss team in which Sauber was instructed to compile a list of its assets currently in Melbourne.
The van der Garde camp, having cleared every legal hurdle so far in enforcing the Dutchman's 2015 race contract, had argued Sauber was doing nothing to facilitate the 29-year-old's participation in the 2015 season opener.
Indeed, Sauber had even argued in court there was "no practical way we can allow [and] facilitate Mr van der Garde in this new C34 Ferrari which he has not previously" driven.
But had Sauber not complied with the supreme court's orders, its 2015 race cars might have been immediately seized by Australian authorities.
So, with Friday practice looming at Albert Park, van der Garde obtained a paddock pass, slipped on the shorter Marcus Ericsson's overalls and had a seat fitting in the Swedish driver's number 9-branded car.
But it is understood the team was simply complying with the local supreme court's order, amid the threat the cars could be seized and team boss Monisha Kaltenborn arrested.
Kaltenborn made her first appearance of the week on Friday, but is believed to have then left the paddock shortly afterwards.
Sauber has not issued a single 'tweet' since Monday. The team is reportedly not fully cooperating with the van der Garde camp, amid rumours the 29-year-old's wealthy backers made a $8 million upfront payment last August.
As recently as Thursday evening, Sauber informed the FIA its drivers for the weekend are Nasr and Ericsson.
Van der Garde had to obtain a guest pass simply to enter the paddock, and the FIA has accommodated him for the day in its offices.
"I'm staying here," van der Garde said after taking off Ericsson's overalls as he walked through the Melbourne paddock in casual clothes.
Reports are that the FIA is helping him to fast-track his application for a super licence, which could be ready in time for Saturday practice and qualifying.
"I don't know," van der Garde said when asked about that. "We'll see later."
Indeed, court proceedings will resume in Melbourne on Friday afternoon. Van der Garde's lawyer says Sauber is refusing to sign a document so that his super licence application can be formalised.
"Sauber simply refuses to complete the paperwork," the lawyer said.
Around the paddock, although there is sympathy for the plight of F1's struggling smaller teams, many are unimpressed with Sauber's handling of the affair.
Niki Lauda told the Swiss newspaper Blick the team's methods amid the crisis have been "strange".
"Agreements must be complied with," said the Mercedes team chairman and F1 legend. "To put it politely, negligence is the same in any business around the world."
Meanwhile at Albert Park ahead of FP1 Sauber’s nominated drivers, Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson and Brazilian Felipe Nasr, jumped in the cars but did not head out to the circuit.
Sources report that van der Garde's first race for Sauber is therefore now scheduled to be in Malaysia in two weeks.
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