Adrian Sutil

Adrian Sutil (11 January 1983 - Present): German racing driver from Starnberg, Bavaria who competed in Formula One from 2007 to 2014, racing for Spyker, Force India, and Sauber. He participated in 128 Grands Prix, scoring 124 championship points with a career-best fourth place at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix. Born and raised in Starnberg, Sutil started karting aged 14 and moved into single-seater racing in 2002 in the Swiss Formula Ford series where he won the title. He raced in the Formula 3 Euroseries where he was runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in 2005, establishing himself as one of Europe's brightest young talents.

Sutil's big break came in 2006 when he won the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, finished third at the Macau Grand Prix, and took on a role as test driver at Midland for a handful of events. Having been involved in the Midland F1 test team, Sutil was promoted to a race seat for the new Spyker F1 team in 2007, making his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix. Despite driving uncompetitive machinery, Sutil impressed with his qualifying performances and racecraft. Sutil continued racing with the team under their new guise as Force India in 2008, where he remained through 2011, becoming the team's longest-serving driver and a crucial part of their development.

His breakthrough performance came at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix at Monza where he finished fourth, Force India's first points finish and their best result at that time. He followed this with fifth place at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix, demonstrating he could deliver strong results when the car was competitive. Sutil's career hit a major obstacle following an incident in a Shanghai nightclub after the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix. He struck Lotus Renault co-owner Eric Lux with a champagne glass, causing a wound in Lux's neck that required 24 stitches.

In January 2012, Sutil appeared in a Munich court and was found guilty of bodily harm, receiving a suspended 18-month sentence and a €200,000 fine. Lewis Hamilton, one of Sutil's close friends, was present at the nightclub but did not appear in court as a defense witness because the trial coincided with his team's car launch. Sutil branded Hamilton a 'coward' for not appearing, ending their friendship. The incident severely damaged Sutil's reputation and career prospects.

Sutil remained without a Formula One seat throughout 2012, a devastating setback at the height of his career. After a year away from the sport, Sutil made a surprise return to Force India in 2013, replacing Nico Hülkenberg. He immediately made an impact, employing an alternative tire strategy to briefly lead the Australian Grand Prix before finishing seventh. However, his performances were inconsistent throughout the season.

At the end of 2013, Sutil and Hülkenberg swapped seats, with Sutil joining Sauber for 2014. The Sauber C33 proved to be a poor car, and Sutil failed to score any points all season, a miserable end to his full-time Formula One career. He spent the 2015 season as a reserve driver for Williams but was never given a chance behind the wheel. Following his Formula One career, Sutil competed in various racing series and became a notable vintage and classic car collector, owning an impressive collection of rare automobiles.

He also maintained connections in motorsport through commentary and analysis work. Sutil's career represents a cautionary tale of how off-track incidents can derail promising talent—had the Shanghai nightclub incident not occurred, his Formula One trajectory might have been very different. Nevertheless, his 128 race starts, consistent performances for Force India, and role in developing the team during their early years remain significant achievements. Known for his speed in qualifying, smooth driving style, and technical feedback, Sutil was respected within the paddock despite the controversies that marked his later career.