Adrian Sutil’s lawyer has issued a long statement rejecting the allegations made against the former German driver.
Attorney Dirk Schmitz explained that his client is in pre-trial detention in Germany, “primarily due to the fact that Mr. Sutil does not have a residence in Germany but only in Monaco,” and that Sutil has firmly stated “no financial damage has been caused to third parties to date.”
Sutil ‘rejects’ fraud charges
The criminal charges concern “property-related offences”, with regards to his international business endeavors. The former Force India driver is currently awaiting trial in Germany, where he doesn’t reside, the statement clarifies adding that he lives “only in Monaco.”
Schmitz added that Sutil “wishes to make it clear that he rejects the accusations brought against him. From his perspective, no financial damage has been caused to third parties to date.”
The charges presented against him, international in nature “must be assessed under different national legal standards and therefore lead to differing evaluations,” he added.
“The triggers and surrounding circumstances suggest an attempt to deliberately and misleadingly damage his reputation. In particular, Adrian Sutil himself has become the victim of a major property offence within the European sphere. Further information on this will be provided shortly.”
Adrian Sutil – Photo: Race Pictures
Schmitz also revealed that Sutil is fully cooperating with the authorities to resolve the situation and that the allegations against him will ultimately prove unfounded.
“Mr. Sutil is fully cooperating with the competent investigative authorities in order to contribute to a swift and comprehensive clarification of the matter,” he added, highlighting the confidence with which the German former driver is facing the process.
“As the investigations progress, the allegations will prove to be unfounded under criminal law and that his prominent name as a Formula 1 driver will be fully rehabilitated,” adding that despite the traumatic trait of the experience, all pertinent authorities have remained objective over the course of the investigation.
“Sutil expressly requests that the public and the media respect the presumption of innocence and refrain from negatively influencing the ongoing proceedings through speculative or prejudicial reporting,” Schmitz continued. “Any assessments should only be made once the competent authorities have completed their work and reliable findings are available,” the German attorney added before expressing the ex-F1 driver’s gratitude toward friends, family, colleagues and business associates for their ongoing “support and trust.”
Why was Sutil arrested?Last week several charges were raised against Sutil, which led to former Spyker, Force India and Sauber driver’sdriver’s arrest on the grounds of alleged fraud and embezzlement in an ‘international raid’.Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog’s F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog’s YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.