LEAD: Sutil sorry for row which led to assault charge

Jan 30, 2012, 15:02 GMT

Munich - Formula One driver Adrian Sutil told a court in Germany Monday he tried to apologize to the injury victim of an alleged assault in a nightclub.

The 29-year-old German is alleged to have attacked Eric Lux, co-owner of the former Renault-Lotus (now Lotus) team, with a champagne glass in the incident in a Shanghai nightclub following last year's Chinese Grand Prix on April 17.

Lux, who also appeared at the hearing in Munich, suffered an injury to the neck which needed stitches.

Sutil told the court: 'It was something I never intended. I had already tried to explain that. I am tremendously sorry.'

The court was told Sutil was with fellow racer Lewis Hamilton in the M1NT club when the row broke out.

Sutil said a woman had spilled a drink over him and then complained to Lux about his reaction. In the ensuing row, Sutil said Lux had tried to pull him from a sofa and he had pushed him back.

The court was expected to view video evidence of the incident at the M1NT club.

Sutil is charged with causing bodily harm and the prosecution has called for a one-year suspended sentence. The case is expected to end Tuesday.

Sutil is currently without a drive for 2012 after being replaced by Germany's Nico Hulkenberg at Force India.