At the very end of last season, Adrian Sutil had four options to stay in formula one in 2012.
That is the claim of the German driver’s manager Manfred Zimmermann, who has so far failed to secure Sutil a race seat for the forthcoming season after his five consecutive years with Force India.

“We will fight to stay in formula one and we’re still hoping to get a seat for 2012 — even if it is in the course of the season,” he told the Sport Bild magazine.

He played down the impact of the 29-year-old’s grievous bodily harm conviction, insisting there has been “encouragement and support from all sides”.

Zimmermann said that at the very end of last season, Sutil was juggling four concrete options for 2012 that ultimately “slipped like soap” through their fingers.

“Unfortunately in formula one, money is always important,” he explained. “It simply didn’t work out in the end.”

As for the role the assault charge played, Zimmermann conceded: “I can’t really judge.”

However, for Sutil’s career, all is not lost.

“We have had enquiries in the past days from several series such as Indycar and touring cars. In America Adrian is a very highly regarded driver.”

 McLaren has once again stepped in to prevent Lewis Hamilton from answering a reporter’s question about the Adrian Sutil affair.
At the recent launch of the MP4-27 car, a reporter asked Hamilton about his former friend Sutil’s accusation he is a “coward” for not appearing as a witness at the recent assault trial in Munich.

“We’ve been told that Lewis shouldn’t really go there because it (the conviction) might go under appeal,” the spokesman quickly intervened.

Hamilton smiled: “I’ll listen to him.”

The Briton’s former F3 teammate did indeed file an appeal, but not before Sutil’s father Jorge described Hamilton as “pathetic” in the German press.

Asked about the latest insult from the Sutil camp, Hamilton was once again prevented from answering in the Jerez paddock by a McLaren media minder.

“That question is not permitted,” the spokesman is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.

The German magazine article read: “We say that Hamilton should have the courage to speak for himself.”

In other courtside F1 news, former Benetton driver JJ Lehto’s attempt to appeal his prison sentence for manslaughter got off to a dismal start, the Swiss newspaper Blick reports.

Finn Lehto’s lawyer reportedly appeared in court to file the appeal but was “immediately arrested himself, apparently because of money laundering”.

Bruno Senna has defended Felipe Massa after the Ferrari driver moved over to let his Ferrari teammate win the recent German grand prix.

In a team orders saga that is set to be resolved at a forthcoming meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, Brazilian Massa has been chastised by his native press for lacking courage.

But countryman Senna told the Brazilian media this week: “I think it’s very easy to judge when you’re not in the person’s skin.

“I think everyone does what he thinks is right at the time of the situation, and it’s easy for an outsider to criticise,” added the HRT driver and nephew of the great and revered Ayrton Senna.

Senna, 26, also hit back at claims that Massa’s season in general has been disappointing.

“They think it’s easy — just more speed,” he said.

“But formula one is a technical sport with very great variables.  Massa has said he is having trouble warming up the tyres, and it is really very difficult.

“Sometimes a car combines better with a particular driving style.  Everyone has seen how good he is when he fought for a recent championship, so I think there’s nothing to discuss,” added Senna.

Comments by Felipe Massa’s father suggest the Brazilian driver’s camp is unimpressed with the events of last weekend’s German grand prix.

After standing miserably on the Hockenheim podium, the 29-year-old insisted it was his decision to pull over and let his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso win.

But Luiz Antonio Massa, who a year ago was sitting at his son’s bedside in a Budapest hospital, has declared that Felipe did in fact obey a team order.

The comments follow a period of criticism in the Brazilian press, with writers saying Massa showed a lack of courage.

“It is regrettable and unfortunate that Ferrari took this decision,” Massa Snr is quoted in Italian language reports, including the Libero newspaper.

The reports said the comments originated on Brazilian television CATV.

“It is clear to everyone that this was a team order,” added Massa’s father.

“Like any good employee, Felipe must obey the boss; there is a hierarchy and he followed orders showing loyalty.”

Massa Snr indicated that he agrees in principle with team orders, but not when the driver in question is still fighting for the world championship.

“It is a good choice when only one of the two drivers has no mathematical chance, but this was not the case.  Both still had a chance to win,” he said.