Hamilton trial worry for Sutil
3/7/2011 (ST) Goodwood Festival of Speed took place from Friday 1st-Sunday 3rd July 2011. Pictured is: Lewis Hamilton preparing for his race in the Formula 1 paddock. Picture: Chris Winsor (112379-9712) (PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CREDIT CHRIS WINSOR)
LEWIS Hamilton has reportedly told a German court trying former Force India Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil he will not be available on the day prosecutors want him to testify.
Sutil, who lost out on continuing his drive for the Silverstone-based team in 2012 to fellow German Nico Hulkenberg, is charged with causing grievous bodily harm in a nightclub incident after the Chinese Grand Prix last year in which a Formula 1 executive was injured.
The 29-year-old’s friend Hamilton was with him at the time, and had been scheduled to appear in the Munich court as a witness on January 30, the first day of the trial.
However the BBC reports that although Hamilton is prepared to give evidence, his lawyer has told the judge he has commitments with his McLaren team on January 30 which would prevent him appearing in court.
It is not yet known whether his attendance will be excused, or whether a new trial date will be set.
Hamilton, who turned 27 this month, was with Sutil in a Shanghai nightclub on the night the German is said to have assaulted Eric Lux, an executive of the then-Renault team, which has since been re-named Lotus.
A spokeswoman for the Munich court was quoted in the German media last week saying the 2008 world champion would be called to make a ‘mandatory appearance’ as a witness on the first day of the trial, which is scheduled to run over two days from January 30 to 31.
Sutil has issued an apology for the incident, which happened on the night of last year’s Chinese Grand Prix, which Hamilton won.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking a year’s suspended sentence for Sutil, but his manager has been quoted as saying the driver is ‘looking forward’ to seeing the ‘truth’ of the incident come out in court.
Sutil does not currently have a drive for the 2012 season, and is widely tipped to take a year off from the sport, returning to the mix in 2013 if he can find a race seat.
CHAMPION karter Bradley Philpot and Swedish Formula 2 racer Benjamin Bailly will be among the entrants in a night-time kart race in Northampton influenced by the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Among other groups who will enter teams in the themed race at Northampton Indoor Karting Centre in Harvey Reeves Road, Sixfields on Friday, are St James-based engineering firm Cosworth, and the Ferrari Owners’ Club.
The two-hour open team endurance race, contested in teams of four, is the first of a series of events following the same theme, with subsequent meetings due to be held on the final Friday of every month.
Shane Daly, general manager of the centre, said: “The event will have limited lighting instead of our full floodlights in order to make it like the Singapore night race. There will be a street lamp effect around the circuit, with lights only 6ft above ground, instead of the 20ft flood lights we usually use, and we will run a video of Singapore night-time scenery behind the race track.
“The karts will also have flashing red lights, and we’ll be serving Singapore-themed food in our cafe too.”
There is still time to enter Friday’s race. Participants must be aged 16 or above, 5ft 3in or taller, and have some experience driving a kart. To find out more call the centre on Northampton 591591.
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