Former friends Hamilton, Sutil to meet

Lewis Hamilton on Thursday sounded keen to patch up his broken friendship with returning F1 rival Adrian Sutil.

As German Sutil’s career was in tatters amid the Eric Lux assault affair, long-time friend Hamilton refused to appear as a witness at the trial.

Sutil, now 30, is returning to the grid after a one-year absence with Force India this year, and both the German and Hamilton are testing this week in Spain.

"I emailed him a couple of times and I emailed him a while ago saying that I heard that he could get the seat and that I hoped he would because he deserved it," Hamilton told reporters in Barcelona.

"I also emailed him on the way here as soon as I found out, saying congratulations, and that I was happy for him. I haven’t heard back from him but I’m sure at some stage we will get to talk," added the Mercedes driver.

Sutil was fined EUR 200,000 and given an 18-month suspended sentence for the assault, and as he exited F1 he denounced Hamilton as a "coward".

Asked about his relationship with Hamilton, he said on Thursday: "I haven’t spoken to him. I have no relationship with him.

"For sure I will meet up with him, but I don’t know what will happen," added Sutil.