Sutil apologises for injuring Renault official

Adrian Sutil has apologised for injuring a senior formula one team official amid reports the German driver got in a nightclub fight after last month’s Chinese grand prix.

It was widely reported on Wednesday that Sutil, who drives for Force India, left Renault owner Genii executive Eric Lux bleeding from the neck after a scrap whilst in a VIP room at Shanghai club M1NT with his friend Lewis Hamilton.

Renault and Force India confirmed that an incident took place on the Sunday night but both said it was a "private matter".

"During a private event, there was a very unfortunate action by me in which I hurt another person completely unintentionally," the 28-year-old confirmed in a media statement to the German media.

"I regret the incident and have apologised accordingly," added Sutil.

"Since this was a private event and not directly related to formula one or my job as a formula one driver, I ask for understanding that I will say no more on this incident," he said.

Britain’s Daily Mail alleges Sutil injured Lux with a broken glass and the latter needed to go to hospital for stiches.

Writing in his Auto Plus column, French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet said Lux has also suffered from hearing problems since the incident, and speculated that Sutil had been drunk.

In other news, Paul di Resta’s stepfather Dougie McCracken, a former professional footballer who lived with the Force India rookie’s mother Marie, has died after reportedly committing suicide.