Adrian Sutil set to stand trial over assault claims

[Sianellen]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96997

By Edd Straw Friday, January 13th 2012, 09:51 GMT

Adrian Sutil is set to stand trial in Munich at the end of the month in relation to a claim that he assaulted Lotus F1 co-owner Eric Lux in a Shanghai nightclub last April.

A number of Sutil's fellow F1 drivers who were present in the club could be called to present evidence in the case.

Sutil's agent, Manfred Zimmermann, is confident that the trial will clear his driver's name and put an end to the case.

"There will be a court case at the end of January in Munich," Zimmermann told AUTOSPORT.

"This was planned and we look forward to closing the case."

[epiclyaddicted]

Apparently Sutil faces up to a year in prison if found guilty by the Chinese courts. Not sure why this hearing is taking place in Munich though?

Anyone remember in 24 when Jack Bauer had to spend 6 months in a Chinese prison, and they tortured him so bad, he forgot how to speak?

Good luck Adrian!

[Ste]

Apparently Sutil faces up to a year in prison if found guilty by the Chinese courts. Not sure why this hearing is taking place in Munich though?

Anyone remember in 24 when Jack Bauer had to spend 6 months in a Chinese prison, and they tortured him so bad, he forgot how to speak?

Good luck Adrian!

Yes but they tortured him because he wouldn't speak.

[Ferrari_Fanatic]

Well he has no trouble with speaking

[epiclyaddicted]

Yes but they tortured him because he wouldn't speak.

Ok, but he wouldn't speak because Jack Bauer will rather die than give away important secrets of his beloved America! God bless the United States of America (which would be nowhere without CTU)!

Sorry for derailing your thread already Sian, I think I need to start watching 24 again.

More on topic though, why is the hearing taking place in Munich, when the original incident was in China (and hence should be under Chinese jurisdiction)?

[racingbradley]

Very unpleasant situation. I wonder what caused Adrian to react in such a way?????

[Hornet]

Probably had too much alcohol.

[AvantiAlonsoWDC]

Deeply unpleasant to see F1 drivers in this kind of situation ... . Does anyone know which is the worst outcome of the trial he may get for beeing charged of assault?

Update: I'll answer myself. I went on the Interweb an found this :

http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/05250

At the end it says that it's rumoured that Sutil is banned from entering China and that would be the reason because of which he hasn't got a seat for the upcoming season. Also he could face prision (as it's been previously pointed in this thread).

[TheProdigalSon]

Ok, but he wouldn't speak because Jack Bauer will rather die than give away important secrets of his beloved America! God bless the United States of America (which would be nowhere without CTU)!

Sorry for derailing your thread already Sian, I think I need to start watching 24 again.

More on topic though, why is the hearing taking place in Munich, when the original incident was in China (and hence should be under Chinese jurisdiction)?

Apparently he is banned from china not sure how that affects a court case though..

[Corey]

Jesus I forgot about this if the thread didn't come up. Why do they have to stir up these unnecessary hassle and can't just let the guy frickin' race? Eric Lux should be having other crap to sort out at Lotus anyway.

[Hermann]

Jesus I forgot about this if the thread didn't come up. Why do they have to stir up these unnecessary hassle and can't just let the guy frickin' race? Eric Lux should be having other crap to sort out at Lotus anyway.

Probably because that piece of glass could have cut the carotid artery and only missed a main facial nerve by millimeters. Lux had 24 stitches in the emergency room. Being a racing driver does not mean you are above the law.

[Suzie]

Jesus I forgot about this if the thread didn't come up. Why do they have to stir up these unnecessary hassle

Because you can't get away with throwing glasses at people (allegedly), no matter who you are. And if booze makes you lose your head and do things like that... DON'T DRINK.

[siberianlady]

The case is being heard in Munich because Lux sent his accusations to the district attorneys in Munich and that is where the investigation took place and Sutil was charged. The DA is asking for a 12 month suspended sentence (will probably end up in a fine) but if proven guilty this opens the door for Lux to press civil charges so the whole thing is far from over not matter what the outcome later this month. Sutil won't go to jail but he will most likely end up with a criminal record which rules out any further participation in F1 for him.......

[Suzie]

I will be interested to hear the full details of what happened; it's been shrouded in mystery somewhat.

[MarlboroFA]

so this is the reason why he hasn't have a drive for 2012?

[racingbradley]

I will be interested to hear the full details of what happened; it's been shrouded in mystery somewhat.

Yes me too.
Ok they both had too much to drink I guess and we know what Adrian is alleged to have done but why did he do it----provocation I guess but it doesn't forgive his (alleged) actions.

[Hermann]

Just to add a little gossip:

Dimi PAPADOPOULOS
Its confirmed that Hamilton must appear at the court in Munich as eyewitness at 30th of January in the Sutil-Lux case

http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/4...al_this_month/

[siberianlady]

It is not certain if Hamilton can attend on Jan 30th or if he has applied for a different date. Attend in person he must and I also understand Jerome d'Ambrosio has also been summoned to give evidence. Munich court is very busy with F1 stuff recently.......

[Greig]

F1 driver Adrian Sutil convicted over nightclub fracas

German Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil has been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm to a F1 team owner and given an 18-month suspended sentence.

A court in Munich reached the verdict after a two-day trial. The German driver was also ordered to pay a 200,000 euro (£167,224; $264,092) fine.

Renault F1 executive Eric Lux suffered cuts during the incident in a Shanghai nightclub last April.

Sutil, aged 29, has already apologised over the incident.

Both he and Mr Lux were among guests at a party to celebrate Lewis Hamilton's victory at the China Grand Prix in the Chinese city.

The Renault team has since been renamed Lotus.

Sutil was a driver for the Force India team, but they have announced Nico Hulkenberg will replace him.

[Tifoso]

Dip.

[Hermann]

Sutil: Lewis is a coward and not a man

Adrian Sutil, convicted this week of grievous bodily harm, has angrily slammed his former friend Lewis Hamilton for his lack of support before and during Sutil’s assault trial.
Hamilton was sitting beside German Sutil, 29, at the time of the incident, but the Briton wrote in a statement to the Munich court that he could not remember the details of the scuffle.

“Lewis is a coward,” Bild newspaper quotes Sutil as saying.

“I don’t want to be friends with someone like that. If you ask me he’s not a man as even his father sent me a text message, wishing me the best of luck for the hearing. From Lewis, nothing. He even changed his number so I couldn’t reach him,” he added.

http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/02/01/su...YallaF1.com%29


Ramilton a coward! What else is new?

[epiclyaddicted]

This bit cracks me up:

From Lewis, nothing. He even changed his number so I couldn’t reach him

[Tifosi]

What a day to buy your new iPhone 4S with special chrome back by Frodofone Lewis!

(he probably couldn't work out what do do with his PAC code and now he's lost another friend )

[Katu]

that is a really lousy friend

[epiclyaddicted]

What a day to buy your new iPhone 4S with special chrome back by Frodofone Lewis!

(he probably couldn't work out what do do with his PAC code and now he's lost another friend )

Now that makes me feel terrible for having an iPhone 4S from Vodafone.

[Sianellen]

Now that makes me feel terrible for having an iPhone 4S from Vodafone.

so you should! Raz used to smoke his way through boxes upon boxes of Marlboros just to support our team..... until he betrayed us anyway .

[epiclyaddicted]

so you should!

So mean

[Sianellen]

So mean

[Sianellen]

Motor racing-Hamilton swerves around Sutil's 'coward' claim

By Alan Baldwin

WOKING, England | Wed Feb 1, 2012 2:44pm GMT

Feb 1 (Reuters) - McLaren's Lewis Hamilton obeyed team orders and swerved around the wreckage of a once firm Formula One friendship after being accused of cowardice by former grand prix rival Adrian Sutil on Wednesday.

McLaren effectively put a gag on the 2008 world champion after newspapers in Germany and Britain reported Sutil had branded Hamilton a "coward" for failing to back him in a trial that ended on Tuesday.

The German was given a suspended 18-month sentence and fined 200,000 euros ($261,800) for a brawl in a Shanghai nightclub last April. Hamilton, who had won the Chinese Grand Prix, also attended the nightclub.

A Munich court found the former Force India driver guilty of injuring Eric Lux, chief executive of Renault F1 team owners Genii Capital, with a champagne glass in an altercation between the two.

Sutil had told the court that he had repeatedly apologised to Lux and denied it was his intention to hurt him but rather to throw a drink in his face.

The court had also wanted to hear from Hamilton but the McLaren driver was excused due to team commitments ahead of Wednesday's launch of their new car at the Woking factory in southern England.

"Lewis is a coward. I do not want to be friends with someone like that," Sutil, who had previously counted on Hamilton as one of his closest friends in the paddock after being team mates in the junior Formula Three Euroseries, told Bild newspaper.

"For me he is not a man. Even his father sent me a text message to wish me good luck in the trial. He (Lewis) changed his cellphone number. I could not even reach him anymore."

Asked by Reuters about the comments, Hamilton was prevented from replying by a team spokesman who intervened.

"We've been told that Lewis shouldn't really go there (talk about the case) because it might go under appeal. So can we move on to the next question," he said.

"I'll listen to him," smiled Hamilton.

Sutil, 29, has said he is considering some time out of the sport, something he may have little choice about with only clear vacancy remaining at struggling HRT.

The Renault team has since been renamed Lotus while Force India have already announced Germany's Nico Hulkenberg as team mate to Britain's Paul di Resta, who is managed by Hamilton's father Anthony.

[impactX]

This Lewis... just wow...