MAY 16, 2011

Sutil faces assault charges

Adrian Sutil's post-Shanghai nightclub altercation has now taken a more serious turn as Genii Capital CEO Eric Lux announces that he is to take legal action against the German Force India driver.

Adrian Sutil's post-Shanghai nightclub altercation has now taken a more serious turn as Genii Capital CEO Eric Lux announces that he is to take legal action against the German Force India driver.

A statement from Lux's Swiss-based law firm issued today, reads: "In the view of the recent events which occurred in Shanghai on 17 April, Mr Eric Lux has decided to file a criminal complaint against Mr Adrian Sutil for physical assault and grievous bodily harm. As soon as the complaint is registered, the F©d©ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the team Force India will be notified.

"Furthermore, please note that Mr Eric Lux does not exclude commencing an action against any other persons involved in this matter."

Lux sustained a neck wound that required stitching during the incident, said to have happened when Sutil was in the nightclub celebrating friend Lewis Hamilton's Chinese GP victory. It is not yet known, however, who the 'other persons' mentioned in the statement may be.

The injury was allegedly caused by a broken champagne glass but all Sutil has thus far said on the matter, is: "During a private event, there was a very unfortunate action by me in which I hurt another person completely unintentionally. I regret the incident and have apologised accordingly. Since this was a private event and not directly related to Formula 1 or my job as a Formula 1 driver, I ask for understanding that I will say no more on this incident."

Should an action against Sutil prove successful, it is feasible that he could also face charges of bringing the sport into disrepute by the FIA, with possible implications for his career.