Sutil appeals against sentence for nightclub brawl

BERLIN: Former Force India Formula One driver Adrian Sutil has lodged an appeal against last week's 18-month suspended sentence for a nightclub brawl.

Sutil, 29, received the sentence and a 200,000 euro (RM798,000) fine for causing grievous bodily harm in a Shanghai night club brawl last year where Eric Lux, chief executive of Renault F1 team owners Genii Capital, was injured.

"We have taken this step because we believe that the decision taken is not appropriate," the agent Manfred Zimmermann told reporters. "There were several witnesses who were not examined."

The prosecutor's office confirmed it had also appealed against the verdict after it had initially asked for a tougher sentence of 21 months and 300,000 euros (RM1.2mil)

Sutil, who has not found a racing spot this season, had also wanted former world champion Lewis Hamilton to appear in court but the Briton cited previous commitments with his racing team and did not take the stand in the Munich court. Sutil then branded Hamilton a "coward" for not backing him in court.

Lux had needed several stitches for a neck wound after Sutil injured him with a champagne glass.

The Renault team has since been renamed Lotus while Force India have already announced Germany's Nico Hulkenberg as Sutil's replacement. – Relaxnews