Sutil to Lotus rumours 'a joke' scoffs Lux - January, 2012

F1 News - Sutil to Lotus rumours 'a joke' scoffs Lux - January, 2012

Jan.16 (GMM) Eric Lux scoffed when asked if Adrian Sutil was ever really a contender to race for the Lotus team in 2012.

German Sutil has lost his Force India race seat after five seasons and is hoping he can rescue his embattled career by switching to Williams.

Earlier, however, the 29-year-old was linked with Lotus, the former Renault team now owned by Genii, the investment firm headed by Luxembourgian Lux.

Lux claims he was attacked by Sutil in a Shanghai nightclub last April, in an incident that will go to trial in Germany later this month.

"I realised in the elevator what had just happened and I thought to myself 'now you have three minutes to live'," Lux is quoted by the FAZ newspaper.

Sutil reportedly claims he was trying only to tip his drink over Lux's head after a verbal quarrel.

As for whether the driver was ever in the running to race for Lotus in 2012, Lux scoffed: "That would be a joke, right?

"At least he has now apologised to me," he added.

The Sutil camp argues Lux's injury was "completely unintentional", amid reports the German's friend Lewis Hamilton could be called to testify.

"I think there is enough evidence and witnesses for the court to take the view that Adrian did not attack someone," said manager Manfred Zimmermann.

In the meantime, Sutil's F1 career is in serious peril, although Zimmermann insists: "The trial will have no influence on Adrian's future.

"We expect the truth to come out during the hearing and, for us, it is important the incident is then concluded," he is quoted by DPA news agency.

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