Former Force India driver Sutil 'convicted' for 18-months over bar brawl violence

Former Force India driver Adrian Sutil has received an 18-month suspended jail sentence for inflicting serious physical damage on Lotus team co-owner Eric Lux during a nightclub scuffle.

The altercation which led to Lux needing 24 stitches, transpired last year while partying with Lewis Hamilton in Shanghai's M1NT nightclub following the latter's win in the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix.

The incident was caught on CCTV camera. Sutil was also penalized 200,000 Euro (246,500 dollars), which will be given to charity.

While leaving court on Tuesday, the German driver admitted he needed to be completely different now.

"Maybe, I will take some time out. Maybe I will do something completely different, think about things in peace," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Sutil, as saying.

During his two-day trial, a Munich courtroom heard testimonies from various witnesses including Hamilton.

Hamilton told the court in a written statement that he couldn't recall the details clearly.

Sutil claimed he didn't mean to physically harm Lux and only attempted to throw the contents of the champagne glass.

He further said that he tried his best to settle this matter out of the court, but Lux demanded a double-digit million sum in return and a voluntary multiple-race grand prix ban in the middle of last season.

"At least I shook Mr. Lux's hand. That's a good thing," he added.

The sentence could well spell an end to his career with Silverstone-based Force India, which has already dropped him for the forthcoming.

It is unclear whether the sport's governing body, the FIA, will withdraw Sutil's 'super license', which all drivers need to compete in the F1. (ANI)